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30 <br /> 1 Commissioner McKee said that there were also requirements that NCDOT had for <br /> 2 Lumos which complicated their projects. He said there were also structural changes at Lumos. <br /> 3 He said that many counties are also competing for installation crews and materials for this type <br /> 4 of work. He said that not being served due to being in a doughnut hole or because the existing <br /> 5 service is slow is an equity issue. <br /> 6 Commissioner Fowler said they need to do whatever they can to incentivize service <br /> 7 expansion. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to <br /> 10 approve the amendment and authorize the Manager to execute the amendment and any other <br /> 11 related documents. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 14 <br /> 15 Commissioner Carter said she has heard from residents that now have internet service, <br /> 16 that this has been life changing for families. She thanked all those that worked on the project. <br /> 17 <br /> 18 At this point in the meeting, the Board decided to take up item 7-a so Housing staff could depart. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 7. Reports <br /> 21 a. Oranqe County Partnership to End Homelessness — Data Report <br /> 22 The Board will receive an overview of the work of the Orange County Partnership to End <br /> 23 Homelessness (OCPEH), including updated system level data about homelessness in Orange <br /> 24 County submitted to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) <br /> 25 earlier this year, as well as obstacles and successes. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 BACKGROUND: The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) was <br /> 28 created in 2005 to coordinate funding and activities to end homelessness in Orange County. <br /> 29 OCPEH is jointly funded by Orange County (39.5%) and the Towns of Carrboro (14.3%), Chapel <br /> 30 Hill (39.7%), and Hillsborough (6.5%). <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Overview <br /> 33 This year has seen a series of transitions as the community recovered from the COVID 19 <br /> 34 pandemic in several ways. COVID-era relief funding has been exhausted. Community partners <br /> 35 have experienced reductions in grant and small donor revenue which has resulted in diminished <br /> 36 program capacity at a time when community need remains high. This period has also <br /> 37 highlighted the importance of local and regional collaboration to address the rise of <br /> 38 homelessness. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) uses a variety of funding <br /> 41 sources to support community-level planning, coordination and evaluation efforts. Funders <br /> 42 include federal and local government, foundations, and private partners. <br /> 43 <br /> 44 Challenges <br /> 45 Orange County has seen a significant increase in Fair Market Rents leading to over half of the <br /> 46 rental households in this community being cost-burdened. Compounding the rental pressures <br /> 47 are the expiration of COVID-era Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) funds. New eligibility <br /> 48 criteria and benefit caps have increased demand on the homeless system and increases in first- <br /> 49 time homelessness. While emergency shelter capacity has increased in 2023 and served more <br /> 50 people than ever before, the need for emergency shelter during inclement weather outstripped <br /> 51 shelter capacity. Like many communities, Orange County has also seen the loss of institutional <br />