ORD-2020-008 Approval of Budget Amendment #7-A for the Transfer of Funds from the Orange County Local Rent Supplement Program to the Risk Mitigation and Housing Displacement Fund

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17 18 1 Sherrill Hampton said the program will follow the same inspection standards as the 2 federal program, and bedrooms must have ingress and egress, closets, etc. 3 Javon Holley said the program will likely follow the HUD standards, which calls for the 4 head of household and spouse to have a bedroom, and every 2 family members thereafter must 5 have a bedroom. 6 Commissioner Price asked if there is flexibility built into the program to allow for a family 7 that needs four bedrooms. 8 Javon Holley said staff may have needed to exchange a three bedroom voucher for a 9 four bedroom one, but that will be possible. 10 Commissioner Price asked if those who do not meet requirement will be directed to other 11 housing options. 12 Sherrill Hampton said staff can refer those who do not qualify to other partners and 13 share a resource list with them. She said the housing supply is very limited in Orange County. 14 Sherrill Hampton said this model is set up that if there is a family that needs a 4 bedroom 15 they will need to lose one of the rooms since rent would be too high. She said some zip codes 16 have a higher rate of rent than others, and as a result, the total amount of vouchers may 17 decrease. 18 Commissioner Price encouraged staff to continue to provide those who are rejected with 19 alternative resources. She reminded staff to please remember military veterans within the 20 target groups. 21 Javon Holley said the Veteran's Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program specifically 22 focuses on homeless veterans. 23 Commissioner Price said yes, but they still have a lot of homeless veterans. 24 Commissioner Jacobs asked if these families are seeking their own apartments or will 25 staff guide them. 26 Sherrill Hampton said residents are responsible for their search, and staff cannot steer, 27 but staff does send out lists of available homes. 28 Commissioner Jacobs asked if these families are anticipated to be in need of support 29 from the Department of Social Services (DSS) as well. 30 Sherrill Hampton said yes, and staff always refers residents back to local partners. She 31 said the housing department does not do case management. 32 Commissioner Jacobs said Durham has so many apartments, and may not like Orange 33 County residents being steered there. He asked if DSS will coordinate with other counties. 34 Sherrill Hampton said if one is living in that ten-mile radius, and thus becomes a resident 35 of Durham County, one would be eligible for Durham County programming and services. 36 Commissioner Jacobs said people will find more opportunities in Durham, and it may be 37 good to have some outreach to Durham Social Services. 38 Sherrill Hampton said Orange County residents under the federal program are ported to 39 Durham, and the administrative fee and funds goes to the Durham Housing Authority. 40 Commissioner Marcoplos said these people are looking the best place to meet their 41 needs, which may be Durham County. He said staff is not allowed to direct people. 42 Chair Dorosin said this is exciting. He clarified that the funding is coming partly from the 43 County general fund and partly from HOME funds. 44 Sherrill Hampton said yes. 45 Chair Dorosin asked if this program will be unavailable to undocumented residents due 46 to the use of some HOME funding. 47 Sherrill Hampton said if the money for the rent comes out of the HOME program, it 48 cannot be used by undocumented residents. 49 Chair Dorosin asked if the two piles of funding could be kept separate, thus allowing for 50 an undocumented resident to be funded using Orange County funds. 51 Sherrill Hampton said yes.