Minutes 01-25-2019 BOCC Retreat - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 ❑ How can the County, working collaboratively, facilitate the enhancement of permanent supportive housing? Sherrill Hampton opened her presentation by greeting the group and offering her support for a "One Orange" vision. She said her department had gone through a lot of restructuring and planning over the last few years, and had worked with two firms to generate the data in her presentation. Sherrill Hampton said 64% of total households making less than $50,000/year were "cost burdened" by housing (when a household spends more than 30% of their annual income on housing). Sherrill Hampton said the median rent for a 3-bedroom was $1470, and the discrepancy between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill for mean and median rent on 3-bedroom rentals. She said seniors were the most cost-burdened age-group in Orange County, with a widening gap every year. Commissioner Dorosin asked if"permanently affordable" could be defined. Sherrill Hampton said this included government subsidized housing, land trust owned land, and some others. She said the definition was derived by HUD and did not include the private market. Commissioner Greene said HUD's definition meant the properties would be affordable for only 30 years and asked about deed-restricted housing. Sherrill Hampton said those did not count in the overall numbers. Chair Rich asked about land that may be unsuitable for development in the county because of water/sewer access. Sherrill Hampton said this land referenced land where there were not existing county services, especially water and sewer, and the significant costs development entailed. The group noted that the rural buffer was most of what was referenced here. Commissioner Marcoplos said the Green Tract was a priority before the rural buffer. Sherrill Hampton turned the conversation to the consolidated plan, which is to be updated in 2020, led by the local government collaborative. She said, of the 9 County-owned sites, maybe 2 of them would be suitable for affordable housing development due to topographical challenges. She reviewed information about both homelessness and existing programs and services. Sherrill Hampton described the toolbox the County had at its disposal for working through the challenge of affordable housing. She said the key areas to look at are: affordability, availability, and accessibility. She said affordability is created by land cost regulations and supply; and accessibility asks the question of whether or not housing is actually accessible to people. Sherrill Hampton said development, preservation, and supportive services make up the toolbox. She then turned the attention towards goals, namely: expanding supply, improving quality, increasing choices, and fostering diverse and livable neighborhoods. She said the Fairview neighborhood and Tinted Woods community as examples, as well as some neighborhoods out on 54. She reviewed efforts to enhance these communities. Sherrill Hampton said there are several funding sources: the bond, the home program, the land-banking fund, and the home park program, as well as preservation and supportive housing programs. She said the team was looking at how to better utilize the bond for affordable housing to take advantage of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing Units. She said 90% of these occurred in urban-poor areas, which she sees this as an opportunity for collaboration with the towns.