Agenda - 09-06-2022; 8-a - Minutes

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35 1 Commissioner Richards noted that the 10-to-5-year homeownership requirement really 2 increases the impact. She said that this is estimated at 100% usage and even 25% would be a 3 huge increase to last year. 4 Commissioner Fowler asked what portion of the bill this would cover. 5 Corey Root said all these scenarios cover the Orange County portion. 6 Commissioner Fowler asked if this means that people in the 31%-60% and 60%-80% 7 would not get assistance. 8 Corey Root said using these averages but that this is the highest income estimated and 9 each situation would be calculated individually. 10 Commissioner Bedford asked for information on how the multiplying factor of .67 is 11 derived. 12 Commissioner Hamilton thanked Corey Root and Nancy Freeman for their work on this 13 presentation. She asked if previous data reflects the incomes of the recipients. 14 Corey Root said it was calculated and she can provide that. 15 Commissioner Hamilton asked if it covered all income levels 16 Corey Root said yes, up to 80%, and all the other levels were covered. 17 Chair Price asked if it is sustainable to change the distribution guidelines year by year as 18 opposed to having a fixed formula. 19 Bonnie Hammersley said that is currently how the county handles the grants for the 20 small business and ag grants and this is modeled after those as far as prioritization. 21 Chair Price said she felt concerned when looking at property taxes versus a grant but if it 22 is ok by statute, she is fine. 23 24 PUBLIC COMMENTS: 25 George Barrett said they are working with a much smaller sample set of people. He said 26 that the multiplying factor of .67 helps them distribute the funds evenly while representing the 27 full formula. He said they knew they had $40,000 and they experimented with factors and .67 28 made sense. He said that not every formula is perfect, so the multiplying factor to aid the 29 person's tax burden can be adjusted. He thanked the Board and staff for all their work on 30 figuring out this program. He said there has been a big arch from where it started. He asked the 31 Board to pass the second year of the LHA program. He said the program should focus on tax 32 burden and should qualify people who have lived in their home for 5 years. He said it should 33 focus on those under 80% AMI. He said that everyone who applies and qualifies should receive 34 some assistance. He said that no person should spend more than 2% of their income on 35 property taxes so that would mean that those applying that are over 80% AMI should still 36 receive some assistance if they qualify based on their income to tax bill ratios. 37 Matthew Fearrington said he has been in his house for over 20 years and his uncle 38 before him. He said that he has never seen a tax assessor at the house, so he has no idea how 39 the tax is assessed. He said if someone did come by, he would have told them that he lives in a 40 flood zone and homes flood often. He said if the tax assessor would come to his house, he 41 would show them the damage. He said the house is not worth what it is assessed at because of 42 the structure even though it looks nice on the outside. 43 Heather Ferrell said she grew up in northern Orange County and now lives in Northside. 44 She said she is here with her neighbors tonight. She said that the residents in the Northside 45 district are living treasures and are up against forces of gentrification. She said that there is not 46 a lot that can be done about it, but the LHA program is something that can be done. She 47 thanked Nancy Freeman and Corey Root for their work on this program. She asked the Board to 48 approve eligibility at 80% AMI, occupancy at 5 years, and to address the whole tax burden 49 because this has affected Orange County for a long time. She said that no qualifying person 50 should pay more than 2% of their income.