Minutes 10-19-2021 Virtual Business meeting

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27 Commissioner Greene asked about the gap for the housing locator and thought that position had already been funded. Rachel Waltz said the Housing Access Coordinator position was funded, which focuses 80% of time on system level issues like landlord recruitment and retention, building collaboration to increase affordable housing stock in the community that is willing to partner with rental subsidies, etc. She said this position spends the remaining 20% of its time is dedicated to individualized housing searches for people with multiple barriers. She said a Housing Locator position would strictly provide the individualized housing search. Commissioner Greene said this position originated at Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) and got transferred to the county. Rachel Waltz said that part is currently happening, and Christopher Jackson came on board the end of June and he engages in the landlord recruitment and reaches out to landlords and builds relationships. She said he came from the Durham Housing Authority, and is focused on providing high quality rentals. Commissioner Greene asked if the difference between the Housing Access and Housing Locator positions could be explained. Rachel Waltz said the locator would have an individualized role with people searching for housing. She said the Current Housing Access Coordinator is only able to do a portion of that. Commissioner Greene recalled a past presentation from Corey Root where then Commissioner Dorosin asked how much money would be required to fund the gaps and therefore end homelessness in Orange County, but then COVID happened and it got lost. She asked if staff can reestablish what amount of money it would take to end homelessness in Orange County and begin that conversation again with colleagues in municipalities. Rachel Waltz said the OCPEH Leadership Team will vote on whether or not to adopt the updated gaps analysis at its November meeting and will present that information to the BOCC thereafter. Corey Root said staff is also working on updated gaps numbers for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Commissioner Richards said there are a couple of gaps that community partners may be able to help fill, and asked if that is factored into the gaps analysis. She said the reentry project involved churches that came forward willing to provide goods and services to help people. Corey Root said there are lots of different entities and people needed to fill these gaps. Commissioner Richards asked if there is an outreach person who does that in terms of community organization. Corey Root said she and Rachel Waltz do that, plus service providers. She said these gaps are a galvanizing tool for the community. She said there has been success in partnering with community organizations to address the gaps, and highlighted some examples. Commissioner Hamilton asked if the percentage of newly homeless is increasing because of job losses as result of COVID is known. She asked where the newly homeless are coming from within the County, and how mental health and domestic violence play a factor. She said this type of information helps Board understand what is needed and how much. She asked if there is a reason why there is not 24-hour bathroom access, and where, when, how, they could exist. She asked if other communities have addressed this need successfully. Corey Root said there was a task force pre-COVID with the Town of Chapel Hill to discuss public bathrooms for all residents. She said these bathrooms need to be in downtown Chapel Hill or Carrboro, preferably with a shower option. She said there was a pilot project that was set to move forward in March 2020, which needs to be picked back up. Commissioner Hamilton asked if funding was identified for the pilot project.