Agenda - 01-22-2019 8-a - Minutes

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25 Assault Trespassing 1 YEAR 1 2 3 Sherrill Hampton referred to page 2 of the table, and said there was a question about 4 bedroom size. She said staff has a limited budget, and is seeking to stay within the allocated 5 funds. She said staff looked at the most requested unit sizes, and the way staff would address 6 this question is highlighted in yellow on the table. She said the need is so great, and staff 7 wants to manage expectations. She said if one is not meeting the bedroom size by one's 8 household size, then one's application will not be considered at this time. 9 Sherrill Hampton referred to funding policies on page 3, noting some changes. She said 10 Commissioner Greene pointed out a discrepancy, which has been corrected and is contained 11 under question 2 in the response to Commissioner Greene's question. She said if the Board 12 approves this tonight, the Housing Authority will administer the local rent supplement program 13 and can only make very minor changes as relates to implementation; any major change will 14 require coming back before the Board for approval. 15 Sherrill Hampton said there was concern that the guidelines very clearly talk about 16 displacement due to the closure of manufactured home parks, as well as other urgent 17 community needs. She said this is addressed in item 6. 18 Sherrill Hampton said there was a question regarding why staff was not targeting 19 veterans. She said there is a voucher program that is solely for veterans, and if a veteran is 20 homeless they have a preference. She said staff tried not to pile on too many preferences, in 21 order to use the number of vouchers available to make a dent in the need. She said due to the 22 availability of federal programming and resources at the VA, staff did not give veterans a 23 preference at this time. 24 Sherrill Hampton referred to page 4 and outreach and marketing, noting that the Board 25 requested that staff contact social service agencies and other providers within the 10 mile 26 radius of where the County voucher can be used. She said staff plans to do this, and has 27 included in the plan. 28 Sherrill Hampton referred to the top of page 7, which discusses persons displaced due 29 to an urgent community need, and how they will be addressed. She said this is referring to the 30 manufactured home park closures. She said these persons will be referred to her office by 31 EmPowerment, which has the contract for relocation coordination services. 32 Sherrill Hampton referred to the top of page 8, which further addresses inclusion for 33 urgent community needs. She said the responses that she provided to Commissioner Greene's 34 questions explained that the local rent supplement program will mirror the current policies, 35 under the Housing Authority's voucher program, as it relates to criminal background checks. 36 She said staff looked at the admissions policy from the housing authority in Chapel Hill, which is 37 public housing and differs from the County's program. She said her office will review on a 38 case-by-case basis, and therefore, does not have a rigid set determination. She said her 39 office's policy was reviewed and approved by HUD, and meets with HUD requirements and 40 most recent notice of granting some leeway around criminal background checks. 41 Commissioner Greene said her concern is how to deal with ex-offenders when they 42 make an application, and she suggested having a joint conversation with the Chapel Hill 43 Housing Authority to promote more flexibility. She said it would be worthwhile to have a 44 thoughtful review of the County and the Town's two policies. She said in Chapel Hill, if one has 45 an arrest that is dismissed, it does not affect an application in any way. She said it appears, 46 however, that this is not the same for the County policy. 47 Commissioner Greene petitioned the Manager to come up with a process and who to 48 include in this discussion.