Agenda 03-17-2026; 8-a - Minutes for February 17, 2026 Business Meeting

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28 1 Vice-Chair Fowler noted that the program website says there may be exceptions is a 2 member of the household is 70 or older or has a disability. She asked if these exceptions were 3 utilized this year. 4 Blake Rosser said yes. He said he will follow up with those statistics if it was listed on the 5 application. 6 Commissioner Bedford said the length of homeownership requirements was decreased to 7 5 years to account for cases when family members inherit properties. 8 Blake Rosser agreed that community members have used that example as a point of 9 concern when mentioning decreasing the length of homeownership. 10 Commissioner McKee said he supports this program and increasing the availability of it. 11 He questioned if 5 years of homeownership was long enough to be considered "long-term". He 12 advocated for a 10-20 year minimum to better target those most likely to face displacement. He 13 also raised an issue with residents with higher home values qualifying for the program but 14 recognized that the revaluation increased values drastically. He also agreed with adding 15 exceptions for inherited properties, but said he wanted the program to serve those who need it 16 most, like those making 30-50%AMI. Chair Hamilton said it sounds like time should be 17 carved out for the Board to have more discussion on this and for them to get a refresher on why 18 the eligibility requirements for the program were initially decided. She emphasized the need for 19 stability in program rules, noting the importance of consistency for recipients who rely on annual 20 assistance. She also highlighted the need to consider how changes might affect younger families 21 with children, which the county needs to attract and retain. 22 Commissioner Portie-Ascott noted that 2% is subtracted based on household income. She 23 asked if that is still appropriate when thinking about people on a fixed income. 24 Blake Rosser explained that the award would stay higher for people on a fixed income by 25 using a standard percentage. 26 Commissioner Carter expressed appreciation for the Board's decision to expand the 27 program to the point that it is now. She agreed with Chair Hamilton's suggestion for this to be a 28 work session topic for additional discussion. 29 Commissioner McKee said he has mentioned freezing taxes for homeowners who are 65 30 or older and have low incomes in the past. He said he's followed the discussion on property taxes 31 at the state-level but has no confidence North Carolina will follow others in doing that. He said he 32 wants to build something into this program that would freeze taxes for residents who are 65 years 33 old and meet the other necessary criteria. 34 Chair Hamilton reiterated the need for a work session discussion. 35 Blake Rosser said the Housing Department and Tax Office will meet in March to debrief 36 and come up with other suggestions and ideas for the Board to consider. 37 Commissioner Bedford asked staff to also look at how Durham and Mecklenburg have 38 adjusted their similar programs. 39 40 b. Animal Services' History and Presentation on Current Services and the Community 41 Animal Clinic 42 The Board received information on Animal Services' history and received a presentation on 43 current services and an overview of the new Community Animal Clinic. 44 45 BACKGROUND: Orange County Animal Services began in 1953 with a single dog warden and 46 a focus on rabies control. At that time, there was no adoption program, no volunteer program, and 47 no focus on animal welfare. Over time, as concerns with animal welfare gained traction and canine 48 variant rabies was eradicated, animal services priorities shifted to an increased focus on animal 49 care and placement. An adoption program was created, and finding homes for pets became a 50 central focus of sheltering. 51