Agenda 01-16-24; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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26 1 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if this was the first time the county has modified a 2 contract and if they were setting a new precedent. 3 John Roberts said it would not set a precedent. He said this was a single negotiated 4 point. 5 Vice-Chair McKee said he was confident in everyone's abilities. He said the process 6 has gone on for a long time, and he is concerned about getting consensus. 7 8 VOTE: Ayes, 5 (Commissioner Fowler, Commissioner Greene, Chair Bedford, 9 Commissioner Richards, Commissioner Hamilton); Nays, 2 (Vice-Chair McKee, 10 Commissioner Portie-Ascott) 11 12 MOTION PASSES 13 14 b. Approval of Budget Amendment #3-A to Fund the Bridge Housing Opportunity at 2032 15 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill in Collaboration with Alliance Health and Caramore, Inc. 16 The Board approved Budget Amendment #3-A to provide start-up and short-term operational 17 funding for a Bridge Housing program at 2032 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill in collaboration 18 with Alliance Health and Caramore, Inc. 19 20 BACKGROUND: Bridge Housing and therapeutic support is an evidence-based, best practice 21 for ensuring stabilization for individuals exiting homelessness, incarceration and institutions. 22 This short-term, low barrier housing coupled with supportive services is designed to enhance 23 opportunities for an individual's successful transition into permanent housing. The model 24 provides safe and temporary housing for 60 to 120 days with a focus on recovery supports, 25 developing independent living skills, connections to housing navigation, case management and 26 peer support. Bridge Housing has been identified as a critical need in the Orange County 27 Partnership to End Homelessness System Gaps Analysis for several years. Currently, there is 28 no accessible, non-voucher Bridge Housing serving residents in Orange County seeking to exit 29 homelessness or seeking short-term stabilization following reentry from incarceration or 30 institutionalization. 31 In July 2023, Ann Oshel, the Alliance Health Vice President for Community Health and Well- 32 Being, approached Orange County regarding a residential property at 2032 Homestead Road in 33 Chapel Hill that was vacant and owned by Caramore, Inc. Ms. Oshel suggested that the 34 property could be reimagined to fill an Orange County housing need. The residence had been 35 previously operated since 2015 as a licensed, long-term group home for persons with mental 36 illness. The property was owned by Gary Gaddy and Sandra Herring with the intended purpose 37 of providing long-term supportive housing for individuals with mental health needs. The group 38 home closed prior to COVID and was abandoned by the provider. The owners then gifted the 39 property to Caramore Inc., in 2019 with the expressed purpose of serving individuals with 40 behavioral needs facing housing crisis. The five-bedroom, brick ranch home on .75 acres of 41 land is centrally located on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill, next to a city bus stop, and 42 neighboring the Church of the Advocate, whose property contains several Pee Wee Homes. In 43 addition, the property at 2032 Homestead Road is in close proximity to Inter-faith Council (IFC) 44 properties, as well as Orange County's Southern Human Services Center and Seymour Center. 45 Since assuming ownership, Caramore has provided enhancements to the home and ensured its 46 upkeep. 47 Over the last several months, Alliance Health, Caramore and Orange County human services 48 leaders have been discussing whether this property could be utilized to fill critical housing, 49 behavioral health and reentry needs. It was determined by these stakeholders that the property