Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> Advocate, whose property contains several Pee Wee Homes. In addition, the property at 2032 <br /> Homestead Road is in close proximity to Inter-faith Council (IFC) properties, as well as Orange <br /> County's Southern Human Services Center and Seymour Center. Since assuming ownership, <br /> Caramore has provided enhancements to the home and ensured its upkeep. <br /> Over the last several months, Alliance Health, Caramore and Orange County human services <br /> leaders have been discussing whether this property could be utilized to fill critical housing, <br /> behavioral health and reentry needs. It was determined by these stakeholders that the property <br /> could best serve the community as a new collaborative Bridge Housing program for individuals <br /> with behavioral health diagnoses. With escalating numbers of residents in Orange County <br /> experiencing homelessness with behavioral health needs seeking stabilization and support on <br /> their way to permanent housing, this program will provide critical housing and interventions for <br /> their support. <br /> The Bridge Housing program at 2032 Homestead Road will serve six individuals in four bedrooms <br /> for up to five months. Four (4) of the beds will serve individuals identified by Orange County, and <br /> two (2) beds will serve individuals identified by Alliance Health. The program will be staffed seven <br /> (7) days a week with two (2) positions providing case management and peer support through <br /> individual and group programming. Orange County housing, behavioral health, reentry and social <br /> service providers will have full access to the home to provide necessary additional supports. <br /> Referrals to fill the four (4) Orange County-funded beds will be placed via Coordinated Entry to <br /> ensure alignment with Orange County priorities, reduce duplication of efforts, and facilitate faster <br /> connection to permanent housing. <br /> The program would be managed by Caramore under a contract with Alliance Health. As Alliance <br /> Health already has an existing relationship with Caramore, this additional program collaboration <br /> would be far more cost-effective than retaining a new provider. Since 1974, Caramore has been <br /> in Chapel Hill providing vocational and residential support services to adults living with mental <br /> illness. The Caramore model of services is client-centered and effective, with its services being <br /> advocacy-oriented and community-based. Over the years, thousands of Caramore clients have <br /> successfully transitioned to independent living and employment. <br /> The Homestead property and the collaboration between Alliance Health, Caramore and Orange <br /> County provides a truly unique opportunity to provide a centrally-located, short-term supportive <br /> housing model that fills a significant gap in the Homeless System Gaps Analysis. The Town of <br /> Chapel Hill has been notified of this proposal for the property at 2032 Homestead Road, and <br /> Housing Director Sarah Vinas has ensured Orange County that there are no issues from a zoning <br /> perspective and that implementation efforts can proceed without community engagement or <br /> additional notification being required. <br /> The financing of this Bridge Housing program will be a partnership between Orange County, <br /> Caramore and Alliance Health. This chart below details the costs associated with a necessary <br /> renovation, the costs to Caramore during the two-month renovation, the start-up costs and the <br /> annual operating expenses for the six-bed program. <br />