Orange County NC Website
1'~ ~ <br />Chapter 5: Housing Element <br />4, <br />Public Housing. The Chapel Hill Department of <br />Housing is the only local public housing authority in <br />Orange County. The department currently operates <br />337 units of public housing in three locations, and <br />had a waiting list of 220 families in 2006, 98% of <br />which were at or below 30% of the local area median <br />income. <br />5.4. AFFORDABLE HOUSING <br />It is evident that Orange County faces an affordable housing <br />challenge. The combination of rising land values, the lack of <br />housing providers producing units in the moderate to lower end <br />housing range, and the selling off of mobile homes parks are <br />fuelling this challenge. <br />A network of non-profit housing providers and housing <br />assistance organizations in Orange County are working to fill in <br />the housing "gaps" by providing a broad array or educational, <br />financial, and technical services to households in need. These <br />organizations include: <br />The Orange County Community Housing and Land <br />Trust provides a wide range of affordable <br />homeownership opportunities for first-time <br />homebuyers who earn less than 80% of the Area <br />Median Income. The Community Land Trust develops <br />affordable homes and keeps them affordable by <br />retaining ownership of the land while conveying all the <br />rights and responsibilities of homeownership to <br />qualified buyers. <br />Orange County Habitat for Humanity offers <br />homeownership to working families who may <br />otherwise be unable to purchase a home of their own. <br />Habitat homeowners purchase their home directly <br />from Habitat through azero-interest, 20-year loan, <br />and provide sweat-equity by participating in the <br />construction of homes. <br />EmPOWERment, Incorporated works to increase <br />affordable housing and preserve working-class <br />neighborhoods for families in the Chapel Hill area. <br />The non-profit purchases and renovates existing <br />homes and build new homes for sale and rent to low- <br />income families. <br />^ Chrysalis Foundation for Mental Health supports <br />the development of affordable housing for people with <br />disabilities and mental illness through property <br />acquisition, rehabilitation and development in Orange, <br />Person and Chatham Counties. <br />InterFaith Council for Social Service provides <br />shelter, food, direct services, advocacy and <br />4ra~e• Couv-.ty Covvt~reY~ev~%uvPi f la-vv WORKING DRAFT 3-5-08 S 7 <br />