Agenda - 12-07-2020; 8-a - Minutes

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12 1 These rapid collaborative efforts and community partnerships allowed the program to serve 2 people as they presented for assistance through the Housing Helpline and through the partner 3 referral network— and reaching a diverse range of communities to include non-English-speaking 4 households and families with extremely low incomes (see tables below). 5 6 Table 1: EHA Funding by Income Bracket of Beneficiary 7 8 9 AMI 30% 50% 60% 80% Grand Total 10 Amount $1,242,140 $387,497 $56.757 $1,095 $1,687,490 11 Percentage 73.61% 22.96% 3.36% 0.06% 100.00% 12 Client Count 562 171 29 1 748 13 Percentage 75.13% 22.66% 3.88% 0_13% 100.00% 14 15 16 Table 2: EHA Funding by Race/Ethnicity of Beneficiary 17 18 Middle Native Grand 19 RacelEthnicity Unidentified Asian Black Latinx Eastern Multiracial American White Total 20 Amount $594,230 $55,420 $394,514 $460.215 $26.453 $6,088 $8,249 $142.317 $1,687,490 21 Percentage 35.24% a26% 23.36% 27.27% 1.57% 0.36% 0.49% 6.43% 400.00% 22 Client Count 299 26 160 209 9 3 3 62 748 23 Percentage 38.77% 3.48% 21.39% 27.94% 1.20% 0.40% 0.40% 8.29% 100.00% 24 25 Financing History: EHA was seeded with local Orange County funds for Risk Mitigation and 26 Housing Stabilization activities and Town contributions, and later CARES funding from the 27 Towns and County. Due to the high demand for funds caused by the COVID-19 health crisis, 28 these funds have almost been fully expended. Since the start of the pandemic, $2.1 million has 29 been invested by the County and Towns. As of October 20, about $276,000 remains 30 uncommitted, which staff anticipate will last another two and a half weeks, based on the current 31 rate of expenditure and the queue of more than 100 applications awaiting review. As such, the 32 County sought funds from the State in order to continue the work—first through the HOPE 33 program ($797,133) administered by NCORR and second through an application to the NC 34 Commerce Department for Community Development Block Grant— Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) 35 funds ($900,000). The HOPE program portion of the work began on October 19, 2020 and will 36 end December 31, 2020 per the funding regulations, and the County hopes to hear about the 37 CDBG-CV application for funding by the end of the year. Both of these funding sources are 38 limited to providing only rent and utility arrears and payments. This means that the other 39 housing stabilization activities that had been provided through other EHA funding sources are 40 not eligible under these new programs. These stabilization activities include security and utility 41 deposits, moving costs, and application fees all of which are important for helping residents 42 secure housing at a time when having a stable home is crucial for staying safe and avoiding 43 COVID exposure. Further, flexible EHA funding is needed for those residents who do not qualify 44 for the HOPE program or CDBG-CV funds, i.e. not having required documentation for federal 45 funds and/or landlord not agreeing to lease addendum required by the HOPE program. There is 46 also need for urgent funds for those facing imminent eviction or who are working with the 47 Eviction Diversion Program attorney, for those needing reasonable modifications to their homes 48 due to their disability that is necessary to keep them stable in housing, and for homeowners' 49 facing foreclosure as HOPE does not provide funds for mortgage assistance. 50 51 The Housing Department has also used flexible EHA funds to increase the utilization of Housing