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<br />Page 1 <br /> <br />Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board Minutes <br />Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 6:00 PM <br />Virtual Meeting <br /> <br />Members Present: Mae McLendon, Arthur Sprinczeles, James Eichel, Allison Mahaley, <br />Jenn Sykes, Douglas Boemker, Holly Meschko <br /> <br />Members Absent: Keith Cook (Chair), Tammy Jacobs (Vice Chair, excused), Noah <br />Oswald, Adejuwon Ojebuoboh (excused), Cain Twyman, Olivia Fischer (excused) <br /> <br />Staff Present: Emila Sutton (Housing and Community Development Director), Erika <br />Brandt (Community Development Manager), and Maria Dewees (Community <br />Development Specialist) <br /> <br />Public Present: Ro Lutenbacher (UNC MSW Student) <br />I. Call to Order/Introductions – Allison Mahaley called the meeting to order at <br />6:11 PM. <br /> <br />II. Board Member Updates – Allison Mahaley gave an update on the Board of <br />County Commissioner’s affordable housing bond funding determinations. A <br />total of $2.5 million was allocated to four affordable housing projects. Inter- <br />Church Council Housing Corporation was awarded $165,840 and <br />EmPOWERment, Inc. was awarded $700,000 in accordance with the AHAB <br />recommendations. The AHAB recommended $817,080 each for the Center <br />for Community Self-Help (CCSH) and Habitat for Humanity; however the <br />BOCC allocated $1.5 million to CCSH and $134,160 to Habitat for Humanity. <br /> <br /> <br />III. Department of Housing and Community Development (OCHCD) Updates <br />Ro Lutenbacker was introduced to the AHAB. She is a current MSW student <br />interested in learning more about affordable housing. <br /> <br />Emila Sutton gave an update on OCHCD’s COVID-19 Pandemic response. <br />The Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) fund, administered by OCHCD in <br />partnership with the Towns and with several community agencies, and the <br />Housing Helpline (Coordinated Entry) are the most utilized pandemic <br />response programs. OCHCD also administers the Housing Opportunities and <br />Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) for rent and utility assistance. <br /> <br />OCHCD expects to receive more funds for EHA in the coming weeks. Orange <br />County and the towns of Hillsborough and Carrboro applied for and were <br />awarded Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) <br />funds from the NC Department of Commerce. Chapel Hill is a CDBG <br />entitlement community and received funds as well that will be used for <br />emergency rent and utility assistance. Currently, EHA is using local funds to