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32 <br />Commissioner Carter said if it is not on the table to be considered, then it might not be 1  <br />necessary. She asked if it would be helpful to understand. She asked if Briar Chapel moved to 2  <br />a community system. 3  <br />Cy Stober said no. He said the situation was resolved in Briar Chapel. 4  <br /> 5  <br />VOTE: Ayes, 6 (Commissioner Carter, Chair Bedford, Commissioner Fowler, 6  <br />Commissioner Greene, Commissioner McKee, Commissioner Portie-Ascott); Nays, 1 7  <br />(Vice-Chair Hamilton) 8  <br /> 9  <br />MOTION PASSES 10  <br /> 11  <br />UNC School of Government, Development Finance Initiative (DFI) – For market analysis of rural 12  <br />activity nodes, countywide housing needs, and countywide residential supply/demand. Services 13  <br />include a written final report. -$45,100 14  <br /> 15  <br />Commissioner Greene reviewed the proposed market analysis to be provided by the 16  <br />Development Finance Initiative at the School of Government. She said after reflecting on the idea 17  <br />she was not sold on it. She said that perhaps they need to let the market decide on what is 18  <br />needed in the rural activity nodes. She said a housing study should be included with 19  <br />transportation needs. She said Chapel Hill conducted a housing study. 20  <br />Cy Stober said they will refine the scope with DFI if that’s what the Board wishes. He said 21  <br />he’s been in contact with the Home Builders Association, and they are interested in Chapel Hill 22  <br />housing study and how it may apply more widely. He said the scope of the proposal was 23  <br />responding to items 7 and 8 on page 8 of the agenda materials. 24  <br />Commissioner McKee said the market will determine what happens in rural activity nodes. 25  <br />He said he’s concerned about spending $45,000 and not knowing exactly what they are going to 26  <br />get. He said he’s having a hard time spending large amounts of money when they have more 27  <br />immediate needs. 28  <br />Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she has concerns about spending $45,000, but she 29  <br />wants to understand the county’s housing needs. She said there are a lot of different opinions on 30  <br />what’s happening. She hoped that they could get an approach to ensuring that all forms of housing 31  <br />can be built. 32  <br />Cy Stober said that would be the purpose and scope of the proposal. He said it would 33  <br />provide a regional profile of the county relative to our neighbors, employment opportunities, and 34  <br />transportation network as it relates what is missing from Orange County and what could be 35  <br />realized. 36  <br />Chair Bedford asked if the Board could see a proposed contract. 37  <br />Cy Stober said they have a proposal, and they will send it to the Board. 38  <br />Vice-Chair Hamilton said there have been many talks and studies on housing in the 39  <br />county. She said to spend $45,000 would be a waste of money. She said they already know a 40  <br />lot; the problem is where they will balance out on their desire to maintain ruralness and the need 41  <br />for land for more housing. She said that is a central tension in the land use plan. She said given 42  <br />the dynamic nature of housing, any study would not stay current. She said in an environment of 43  <br />less resources, they will not be able to do much as a county. 44  <br />Commissioner Fowler said they will never have enough to meet the needs. She recalled 45  <br />that Commissioner Portie-Ascott said the county needed 4,000 additional homes based on a 46  <br />study. She said that would be difficult to attain and they would always be behind the ball. She 47  <br />said it’s going to be hard to get affordable housing; not subsidized, but affordable. She said with 48  <br />all of the apartments that have been built, they haven’t lowered rents. She asked if a market 49  <br />analysis determines that there is no market for a gas station or grocery store, but they are already 50