Agenda - 05-01-2001-7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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~ ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 1, 2001 Action Agenda Item No. ~~ SUBJECT: Annual Public Housin A enc PHA Plan -Section 8 Housin Pro ram DEPARTMENT: Housing/Comm. Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara L. Fikes, ext 2490 Annual PHA Plan (under separate cover) Certifications of Compliance/Board TELEPHONE N Resolution Hillsborough Chapel HIII Durham. Mebane UMBERS: 732-$181 968-4501 688-7331 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To conduct a public hearing and approve submission of the Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for the Orange County Housing Authority. BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) requires all agencies operating the Section 8 Existing Housing Assistance Program to prepare a Five (5) Year Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan and an Annual Plan. The County's Department of Housing and Community Development administers the Section 8 Program that provides rent subsidies to low income families in the County. The Section 8 Housing Program serves approximately 623 families throughout the County including the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Approximately one-third of the families on the waiting list are elderly and/or disabled households. The program has a waiting list of at least 500 families at any given time during the year. Challenges faced by current participants include the inability to locate affordable rental housing and the lack of supply of rental housing. The continuing challenge in administering this program is the need to encourage private landlord participation. To date, this calendar year has shown some improvement in this area with27 new properties having been added into the program. Also, this year, it is planned to launch a small pilot Section 8 Homeownership Program during the 2001- 2002 Program year. This will allow Section 8 payments to be used to subsidize mortgage payments instead of rent payments, thereby creating and supporting new homeowners. HUD is currently providing training for this program, thus the program details are under development. The PHA Plan is a 5-year plan that describes the mission of the Agency and the Agency's long range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the next five (5) years. This plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners on January 18, 2001. Each year, this plan must be updated via an Annual Plan that provides details about the Agency's immediate operations, program participants, and programs and services and the Agency's strategy for addressing the needs of the community in the upcoming fiscal year.