Minutes 11-14-2019 Business Meeting

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6 Valerie Lucas said the site is helpful, but the organization of it is challenging. Jane Stonehouse said this is a multi-dimensional issue, and it takes a lot of research to understand the terminology being used in the documents. Commissioner Dorosin said this is great work. He referred to the recommendation for an incentive structure, and asked if the students have thought about what this would look like. He said the County has tried some incentives in the past, such as density bonuses, but has been unsuccessful. He said incentives are not big enough to encourage affordable housing close to transportation. He said developers are happy to eschew those incentives to build larger homes. Tara Murray said the students were thinking mostly about the towns, and Chapel Hill may be best able to consider Orange County as a part of its strategy. She said if this type of incentive has not worked in the past, she would consider increasing it, as the need is great. She said the group feels strongly that an incentive would work, if the right size. Commissioner Dorosin referred to the slide that mentioned the 77 cents average additional cost for transportation, and said the land is so much cheaper in the County, and wondered if the number of units could be maximized and residents be given a car, as opposed to building on more expensive land in the towns. He said the piece of the pie where transportation is available is not growing and the cost of incentives would be too high. He asked if there is a tipping point between having affordable housing near public transit, and having it more removed but providing vehicles. He said the same issues arise about have affordable housing near public water and sewer, but the costs become prohibitive. Tara Murray said that is why the group supports the recommendation for on-demand shuttles, but this would be a long time coming and remains in the idea stage. Jane Stonehouse said that Durham County has a new program, and while she is not certain of all that Durham County does, there is a loan program that helps affordable housing developers to compete with the market. She said Orange County may be able to apply the idea of a loan program to get a foot in the door, as affordable housing and transportation is challenging. Commissioner Marcoplos said another concern is parking, which is appropriate in an urban setting. He said where public transportation is available; one could reduce the amount of parking to build more units, which could result in a reduction in rent. Commissioner McKee asked if the students looked at the Orange Public Transit (OPT) system and whether it could be reconfigured or revamped to accommodate building away from the urban centers. Tara Murray said the students think that urban transportation is important, but if County transportation was more sustainable, due to lower costs, and the amount of transit available could be increased, it might work; but community inclusiveness becomes a concern. Commissioner McKee said he is also concerned about creating islands of affordable housing. He asked if the students reached into the deeper layers of the community who are most affected, when conducting interviews. Jane Stonehouse said she interviewed Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) members, and the overwhelming consensus is that there is a need for affordable housing, and that most felt stifled by anything that would limit affordable housing in general. Commissioner McKee suggested going further than community activist groups or organizers, and to speak to people at the street level (community centers, churches, etc.). Jane Stonehouse said the people at CEF are on the street level, facing homelessness, and are in current search for affordable housing. Commissioner McKee said he misunderstood what she had said.