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2 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND HONORING <br /> ROBERT DOWLING, <br /> RETIRING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY HOME TRUST <br /> WHEREAS, Robert Dowling, after serving as a banker in the private sector, moved to <br /> Orange County, North Carolina, with his wife, Bethaney Dale; and <br /> WHEREAS, in 1995 Mr. Dowling embarked on a second career in community <br /> development and joined Hayti Development Corporation, an affordable housing <br /> nonprofit in Durham, and in 1997, after a brief time on its Board, joined Orange <br /> Community Housing Corporation as Executive Director; and <br /> WHEREAS, in 2001, under the leadership of Mr. Dowling, Orange Community Housing <br /> Corporation merged with the Community Land Trust in Orange County, which had been <br /> established in 1999 with the support of the Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, and <br /> Orange County, and which today is known as Community Home Trust; and <br /> WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career, Robert has helped ensure that more <br /> than 300 homes in the Carrboro-Chapel Hill area are permanently affordable to people <br /> earning less than eighty percent of the area median income; and <br /> WHEREAS, today the Community Home Trust manages a total of 322 affordable single <br /> family ground leases and rental apartments, with a staff of 10 and a budget of nearly <br /> $1.1 million; and <br /> WHEREAS, Mr. Dowling has served as a faithful advocate, representing both <br /> Community Home Trust and the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition at <br /> affordable housing tables and before elected bodies, making the case for such policies <br /> and investments as A Penny for Housing, the Orange County Affordable Housing Bond, <br /> and a Pilot Master Leasing program; and <br /> WHEREAS, Robert's work in Orange County has ensured that neighborhoods are <br /> diverse and thriving and sustained as such for generations to come; and <br /> WHEREAS, Mr. Dowling is retiring from Community Home Trust on December 31, <br /> 2019, after 22 years in service to our communities, and will be missed; <br /> NOW THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby <br /> recognize and express deep appreciation and respect for the services rendered by <br /> Robert Dowling to the Orange County community, and wish him well in his retirement. <br /> This the 2nd day of December 2019. <br /> Penny Rich, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />