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13 <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS: <br /> David Remington said he has been involved with Justice United for many years. He <br /> thanked the Board for making the LHA program possible and expanding it. He said it made <br /> property taxes more affordable for many people. He thanked Housing staff for all their work. He <br /> said this is an excellent proposal and he hopes the Board will approve additional funding to <br /> continue the program. <br /> Horace Johnson thanked the Board for continuing this program. He said part of the reason <br /> this started was because there is a need for it. He asked if they know how many people have lost <br /> their homes due to foreclosures. He said that over the last 10 years people's home values went <br /> up without their income changing. He said that people got out and figured out the people were <br /> hurting. He said that hopefully, this will save people's homes. He said that the numbers of people <br /> getting tax assistance continues to rise. He said better care needs to be taken of the original <br /> people who built this community. He said it is tragic the number of people who lost their homes to <br /> foreclosure in the past 10 years. <br /> George Barrett, the executive director of the Jackson Center, said he is speaking for many <br /> neighbors who were not able to be present. He lifted up Paul Caldwell (lifelong resident of <br /> Northside) who said, "believe it or not, I've been asked numerous times to sell my property but <br /> that's my little piece of the rock... and I have pride in being a resident of Northside". He said this <br /> is the importance of staying in place. He thanked the Board for continuing LHA for another year <br /> and said that it is essential to helping people stay in place. He thanked the Board and Housing <br /> staff for their work with the community and Justice United. <br /> Chair Bedford said this program was continued with the approval of the budget, and this <br /> is to consider some program changes. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said she agrees with the recommendations and would like to <br /> consider and revisit the program each year. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Richards, to <br /> approve the design changes for the Longtime Homeowner Assistance program as recommended. <br /> Commissioner Richards thanked Housing and Tax staff for their work on this program and <br /> their recommendations. She said that this is a great example of what can come out of a <br /> partnership. She said she appreciates the way they broke down the data on who is served by the <br /> program. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> d. Proposed Designation of County Surplus Property and Proposed Release of Request <br /> for Proposals for Use of County Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and Bond Funds and <br /> Designated Surplus Land for Affordable Housing <br /> The Board received the timeline to release Request for Proposals (RFP) for use of County bond <br /> funds and CIP funds for affordable housing projects, and approved the following: <br /> 1) A resolution declaring eleven (11) County owned parcels surplus land for the purposes of <br /> affordable housing development and authorizing the County Manager the convey these <br /> parcels to affordable Housing developers by private sale or other means; and <br /> 2) The schedule for release of the Housing Department RFP for use of the remaining amount <br /> of affordable housing bond funds, the first$5 million distribution of CIP affordable housing <br /> funds, and eleven (11) County-owned parcels for affordable housing development. <br /> BACKGROUND: Orange County voters approved $5 million for affordable housing development <br /> in 2016. The Housing Department distributed the bulk of these funds in two rounds —$2.5 million <br />