Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
21 <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners - Vacancy Application <br /> 8. What is your vision for how Orange County should grow economically? <br /> With the presence of the flagship UNC campus in Orange County, much of the county economic <br /> activity revolves around academia, healthcare, college sports, student life, and other university <br /> endeavors. While this will continue to drive much of the economic growth in the county, I hope <br /> it will also contribute to growth in essential sectors related to these areas. I would love to see <br /> Orange County become an oasis for nurses and medical techs by increasing training programs, <br /> affordable housing, and public transportation that makes the environmentally friendly choice <br /> the easy choice for getting to and from UNC. Orange County also has a great opportunity for <br /> attracting interest and investment in the growing healthcare tech industry. <br /> 9. One of the unfortunate outcomes of the pandemic is that the wealth gap has grown even greater. <br /> We anticipate what economists call a K-shaped recovery, in which pre-existing inequities are <br /> exacerbated.This disparity largely falls along lines of race. How can county commissioners ensure that <br /> prosperity in the coming years is more equitably shared? <br /> One way the BOCC can reduce a k-shaped recovery is to specifically allocate Covid recovery <br /> funds to programs and organizations working to promote racial equity.This could include <br /> funding for things like public health programs, organizations working to reduce educational <br /> disparities, and infrastructure improvements in low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, it <br /> would be important to consider what other social and environmental factors contribute to <br /> long-term community stability and growth, including affordable housing, secure employment, <br /> safe communities, reliable public transportation, and reducing toxic stress, among other <br /> contextual factors. <br /> 10. What steps do you think the Board of Commissioners could take to address the chronic lack of <br /> affordable housing in the county? <br /> There are several ways the BOCC could work to address affordable housing in the county.The <br /> BOCC can reevaluate property valuations that disadvantage minority communities, like the <br /> Northside neighborhood in Chapel Hill, and impose higher taxes on investment, rental, and <br /> corporate properties.The BOCC can also work to incentivize Section 8 housing among <br /> landlords, which could also benefit from infrastructure improvements in low-income <br /> neighborhoods to help make properties more desirable.Another option could involve less <br /> traditional methods, such as exploring the feasibility of building a tiny house community to see <br /> whether reduced property sizes and building costs could contribute to long-term affordability <br /> and stability in housing. <br /> Applications are due to the Orange County Clerk to the Board by 5 pm on January 6, 2023. Completed <br /> applications can be emailed to clerk@orangecountync.gov or delivered to 300 W. Tryon St.,2"d Flr., <br /> Hillsborough, NC 27278. <br />