Minutes 01-17-2025-Retreat Meeting

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15 home rehabilitation. He said they are working to get urgent repair response down to 3-6 weeks. He said that his completion goal for single family rehabilitation is 6-12 months. He said that these programs are for homeowners, and can only be used for essential repairs. Commissioner Greene said Habitat for Humanity has a program for painting homes. She asked if the division collaborates with Habitat for Humanity. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said they coordinate with Orange County Home Preservation Coalition, which is run out of the UNC Community Practice Lab. He said that due to capacity limitations with outside agencies those types of projects are not being serviced as often. He said there is a backlog of essential repair projects. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked about the income eligibility guidelines. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said that it is mostly under 80% of the AMI, and the AMI for a family of four in Orange County is $105,000. He said they also look at the age of the home, if there is a child under 6 in the home who might be at risk of lead exposure, or if there is an individual in the home with a disability. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the division refers people to the energy funds for all programs. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen asked for clarification. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she had heard of a program with available funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, which would help replace things like HVAC. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said if the county was coordinating with that program, it would be under the Orange County Home Preservation Coalition, but he was unaware if the coalition had partnered with the program. He said he would look into it. Chair Bedford asked if the county was still working on a backlog of homes that need repairs. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said he anticipated bringing a plan to the Board with information about rental assistance and home renovation and repair services after more conversations with HUD. He said they will be able to provide assistance to individuals through the Partnership to End Homelessness Home-ARP program as well. He said that assistance is available to people at risk of experiencing homelessness or those fleeing domestic violence. Commissioner Carter asked if those funds are already available. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said that they received a $1.3 million allocation in 2023 that the county hasn't drawn down. He said he has submitted information to begin drawing those funds down. He said he could provide a report on their services to the Board later in the year so they could begin receiving funds in 2025. He said all those funds must be spent by 2030. Commissioner Fowler asked if people with disabilities qualify for that kind of assistance. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said if the person only has a disability and wasn't also at risk of experiencing homelessness, they will not qualify for the Home-ARP. He said that similar communities have prioritized helping individuals experiencing homelessness and are living unsheltered. He said as the county builds out the program, they are looking at how to give preference to the highest need individuals. Commissioner Greene asked if there were people not served by Longtime Homeowners Assistance when funding ran out. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said that funds are spread out based on the number of people who apply. Commissioner Greene said that the minimum number of years to be eligible for Longtime Homeowners Assistance is 5 years. She wondered if there are people who lived here much longer who are not getting the assistance they need. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen said he would not see a problem with increasing the minimum number of years for ownership. He said the majority of people in the program have lived in Orange County longer than 5 years.