Minutes 11-05-2020 Virtual Business Meeting

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9 he would like more funding to go to the Homestead Road project. He said the EmPOWERment per unit cost is quite high, and should be considered carefully. Commissioner McKee asked Delores Bailey if the number of units increased from 8 to 10 units. Delores Bailey said yes. Commissioner McKee said that reduces the cost per unit to $70,000. He said these units are more economical than previous EmPOWERment units. He said EmPOWERment is a completely local effort. Commissioner Bedford referred to the costs per project, and said these reflect the County funding. She said she looked at the total project costs, which removes the leverage component. She said when considering the projects this way, the cost per unit is $185,841 for Homestead Road; $230,000 for EmPOWERment, and $260,000 for Weaver's Grove. She said the Homestead Road project is the lowest cost per unit, and echoed Commissioner Dorosin and Commissioner Greene's comments. She said Homestead Road includes Habitat townhouses, which are for purchase. She said she would fully fund this project for all the aforementioned reasons, as well as the EmPOWERment project, and the stairwell maintenance project. Commissioner Greene asked Allison Mahaley if the AHAB's reasoning for funding 100% of Habitat's request could be identified, as opposed to portions of the other projects. Allison Mahaley said AHAB did not make this recommendation, but rather 100% of EmPOWERment's project; 100% of the stairwell rehab project; and a 50/50 split of the remaining funds between the two other projects. She said AHAB agonized over these applications. She said AHAB funded 100% of EmPOWERment's project due to its alignment with the BOCC's social justice goals, and it being a completely local project. Commissioner Marcoplos said these are County funds, and wants to put as many people as possible under roofs. Chair Rich said a few years ago, former Habitat Director Susan Levy presented a housing community from Virginia to the BOCC that was identical to the Homestead Road project. She said the mixed income housing is valuable, and she thinks the Homestead Road project is important. She said she wishes there was three times the funding available. She said she would like to bring the Habitat project from $817,000 to 500,000 and EmPOWERment project from $700,000 to $500,000, and move the excess funds to the Homestead Road project. She said she would leave the stairwell rehab project in place. Commissioner McKee asked if the impact of removing $317,000 from the Habitat project could be identified. Jennifer Player said the impact would be huge, and 93% is already being leveraged from other sources. She said a reduction in funds would require those funds to be found elsewhere. She said a great deal of private funding is being pursued. She said Habitat is hyper local. Commissioner McKee asked if the impact of removing $200,000 from the EmPOWERment project could be identified. Delores Bailey said removing $200k would be detrimental, as there are no other funding sources available. She said EmPOWERment is small, and cannot compete with larger organizations such as Habitat and Self-Help. Commissioner McKee said he can accept moving funds away from Habitat, but cannot support a request to reduce funding to EmPOWERment. Commissioner Dorosin agreed, and said the Homestead Road and EmPOWERment projects should be fully funded. Commissioner Price said she likes the Homestead Road project, as it brings together so many organizations and provides for great diversity. She said she also wants to support the stairwell repair project and fully support the EmPOWERment project. She said supporting the EmPOWERment project allows the BOCC to show it is serious about social justice. She said she supports Commissioner Dorosin's proposal.