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

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7 1 Erika Brandt said the total possible points are 32, and some criteria are mutually 2 exclusive. 3 4 PUBLIC COMMENT: 5 Delores Bailey said she is so thankful for the emergency housing program. She said 6 EmPOWERment owns 58 affordable housing units throughout Orange County, and all are full. 7 She said EmPOWERment is seeking $700,000 for 10 units. She said EmPOWERment has 8 followed the Board's request and has found a project that collaborates with government land, 9 provides more units, and has funding to leverage. She said this is in partnership with the Pine 10 Knoll community, and is named PEACH. She said all units will be affordable. She said the 11 PEACH apartments are necessary, and the funding is critical. 12 Phillip Walker said he is a lifelong resident of Chapel Hill, and would like to continue to 13 live in Chapel Hill. He said it is very difficult to afford housing here. He said he has worked for 14 the University of Nortn Carolina - Chapel Hill for 11 years, and makes $9.50/hour. He said 15 EmPOWERment has been working with him for 5 years, and an apartment in the PEACH 16 apartments would have huge impact on his life, and that of his 14-year-old son. 17 Dan Levine said he works for Center for Community Self-Help, the lead organization 18 coordinating the Homestead Housing Collaborative. He said he has lived in Orange County for 19 a long time, and sees the need for affordable housing in the area. He said the bond funds have 20 been well used thus far, and he hopes the $1.5 million will be awarded. He said the funds will 21 be stewarded well, and the project will provide the most units to those with the lowest income. 22 He said the full $1.5 million is needed to secure other funding, and fulfill the project. He said the 23 Town of Chapel Hill has provided the land, money, as well as staff support. 24 Douglas Call said he volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, and is pleased that Habitat is 25 recommended for funding, but the funding awarded is only 54% of the request made. He said 26 over the past 3 years Habitat has built over 300 homes, and has expanded its services to 27 include the repair of homes over the past 5 years. He said Weavers Grove in Chapel Hill is 28 Habitat's most ambitious project ever, and will accommodate over 100 families in affordable 29 housing, and 136 families in market rate housing that will be selling for less than median price in 30 the area. He said this affords homeownership to families that may not otherwise be able to 31 achieve it. He said the Orange County Bond award will be well leveraged, since it will lower the 32 per unit cost. He asked the BOCC to raise the award amount to the full request of$1.5 million. 33 Danita Mason-Hogans said the PEACH project will have great impact on many families 34 with deep roots in Chapel Hill. She said her great, great Uncle James Nun was born in 1882 35 and died in 1975. She said her uncle was part of a community in Chapel Hill that has been 36 mistreated for many generations. She said Dolores Bailey's ancestry is also a part of this 37 history. She said Orange County has the largest wealth disparities, and changes must be made 38 to include local people in the conversation. She encouraged the BOCC to change the narrative 39 for those who have needed help for so long. 40 David Bright said he is an EmPOWERment Board member, and expressed thanks to the 41 County for its partnership. He said he sees affordable housing as a way for those who are 42 economically disadvantaged to grow. He said he was also on the Weaver Street Board and 43 heard from employees who struggled to find affordable housing. He said the Pine Knoll 44 community is greatly involved in the PEACH project, and the project will allow those who serve 45 the community to also live in the community. He said 10 units may seem small, but it is not. He 46 said EmPOWERment is financially sound, and is ready for bigger projects. 47 Graham Smokoski said he is with Center for Community Self-Help, and is available for 48 questions. 49 Paris Miller said she is a Board member with EmPOWERment, and voiced her support 50 for the PEACH apartments project. She said EmPOWERment is a small grass roots