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6 <br /> The Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided direct allocations to local <br /> governments. Orange County received approximately$28.8 million. The first drawdown of <br /> approximately$14.4 million was approved by the Board of Commissioners through a <br /> budget amendment on June 1, 2021. This allocation included $1,926,357 in Emergency <br /> Housing assistance funding. Significant reductions in this cash assistance program has <br /> deepened the need for medium-term tenant-based rental assistance in Orange County. <br /> We estimate that 26 residents from this pool, as well as up to 100 residents on the Orange <br /> County Housing Voucher wait list, could be eligible for HOME-ARP TBRA. <br /> Rental Assistance and Services are the Most Significant Barriers for People Experiencing <br /> Homeless in Orange County <br /> Rents spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although they have since stabilized, they <br /> remain unaffordable for many residents (See Appendix B). The high cost of rent particularly <br /> burdens our residents who are experiencing homelessness. In 2024, Orange County saw a <br /> 17% rise of people experiencing homelessness in Orange County. Of the estimated 148 <br /> people experiencing homelessness in Orange County, 22% live unsheltered.Through <br /> community consultation, the County has determined that use of funds for Tenant-Based <br /> Rental Assistance, when combined with funds for supportive services,will be the most <br /> effective way to quickly assist people to exit unsheltered homelessness. <br /> Community Consultation <br /> The County updated its community and engaged in consultation in several ways: <br /> • Updates to service care providers and opportunities for feedback in August and <br /> September 2024. <br /> • Meetings with the Towns of Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Carrboro Housing Staff in <br /> August 2024. <br /> • Meetings with the Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board in September <br /> and October 2024. <br /> • Meeting with the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition on HOME <br /> Consolidated Planning in October 2024. <br /> Public Participation <br /> Per Orange County's representative from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban <br /> Development (HUD), no public hearings are necessary. <br />