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ORANGE COUNTY <br /> NORTH CAROLINA <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: Board of County Commissioners <br /> FROM: Travis Myren <br /> DATE: December 2, 2024 <br /> SUBJECT: Formation of a Focused Work Group to Address Low-Barrier Housing Needs and <br /> Opportunities <br /> On November 18, 2024, Orange County Justice United held a Countywide Assembly at Binkley Baptist <br /> Church in Chapel Hill. In addition to their members,Justice United invited County Commissioners, <br /> County staff, representatives from Alliance Health and members of the community to hear their <br /> priorities and to seek commitments from Orange County and Alliance Health on these priorities. <br /> Justice United has identified two key priorities for 2025: Home Preservation and Reentry Housing. The <br /> Home Preservation priority seeks to identify flexible funds for home preservation and repair that will <br /> clear the existing waitlist and provide sustainable funding moving forward. Reentry housing is accessible <br /> housing that supports individuals returning from incarceration, including but not limited to, emergency <br /> shelter, bridge housing, permanent supportive housing and transitional housing.The Reentry Housing <br /> priority seeks the formation of a focused county work group administered by the County Manager's <br /> office that will address immediate and long-range low-barrier housing needs and opportunities. In <br /> addition to the work group,Justice United sought a commitment from Orange County and Alliance <br /> Health to support an active search in 2025 for viable properties and potential funding to meet this <br /> housing need. <br /> Commissioners generally expressed support for both of the Justice United 2025 priorities.Alliance <br /> Health representatives in attendance expressed support for the Reentry Housing priority and pledged a <br /> willingness to participate in a County work group, if formed. <br /> Orange County's Strategic Plan demonstrates the County's commitment to low-barrier and reentry <br /> housing: <br /> Priority 2: Healthy Community Increase equitable access to care and social safety net programming to <br /> promote the physical, social, and mental well-being of our community. <br /> Objective 1. Improve harm reduction, prevention, and therapeutic interventions for adults and children <br /> experiencing behavioral health issues, substance use disorder, and intellectual or developmental <br /> disability. <br /> Objective 3. Provide protective services for our most vulnerable community members with practices <br /> and resources that support reducing risk factors, ensuring safety, and achieving permanency. <br /> 300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough,NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181 <br />