Minutes 05-20-2025-Business Meeting

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11 PUBLIC COMMENTS: Lynn Nilssen read the following prepared statement on behalf of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board: "On behalf of the Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB), we write to express our support for the proposed 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The AHAB was established in 2001 to advise the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, as well as relevant housing staff, on issues related to local housing needs and to support increased community engagement on critical housing topics. We have been following the development of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan Draft and agree with the Housing Department's recommendation to focus on helping those experiencing the most urgent housing challenges, with the bulk of funds going to households earning under 30% and between 30%- 50% of AM I. These priorities were also elevated throughout the community engagement process. The best and most efficient use of these funds will go to the preservation of existing housing stock via the home repair programming and to tenant-based rental assistance. Amidst the ongoing national affordable housing crisis - here in Orange County 55% of renters and 18% of homeowners are housing cost burdened - an often overlooked factor contributing to this issue is stagnant or insufficient wages. Many working families who make up the backbone of our community earn well below the necessary wage of $27.70 per hour per adult for a family of 4 to make ends meet. While we have little control over federal funding, the county does have the ability through its Economic Development Plan to find opportunities to ease the housing cost burden for the residents of the county. The AHAB seeks to collaborate with the Economic Development Advisory Board, the county, and community to help ease the housing cost burden for the residents of the county. In this way our county can take a more holistic approach to addressing the housing needs of the county.We are in deep appreciation of the dedicated and tireless work of the Housing Department staff to help the most vulnerable in our community despite funding and resource challenges." David Remington said he is representing Orange County Justice United. He asked those present who support this item to stand. He thanked Blake Rosser and Aaron Rimmler-Cohen for their work and putting the plan together. He said this plan supports what came out of the listening sessions Justice United led. He said he is worked with Habitat for Humanity on small repair needs, but it barely scratches the surface. He said many homeowners need more intensive repairs that go beyond what volunteers can do. He said there is a huge backlog of needs that need to be addressed. He said that without a serious effort to repair homes, will lose homes to disrepair faster than new affordable housing can be built. Delores Bailey, Executive Director of EmPOWERment, said she has mixed feelings about the report that Blake gave. She said she is torn. She said she agrees that people whose homes are in disrepair need support and she applauds the effort. She said she suggests that in future years, they need to plan for homelessness. She said there is a large need. She said Orange County was a system leader during COVID but when the money went away, residents were left hurting, and they are still hurting. She said she wants the county to think about long-term housing assistance. She said that this money should go toward repairs but that future plans should be made for low-income housing development. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to close the public hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Carter said she supports the conclusions in the report and the focusing on the resources they have been approved for. She said that knowing the need is so much greater