Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> said that it has always been his view that the Board of County Commissioners has the final say <br /> in this process and will come to a decision that is in the best interest of all citizens in Orange <br /> County. He said that the AHAB has worked very hard for the County Commissioners to provide <br /> the best information and the soundest judgment within the planning process constraints for the <br /> Board's final reconciliation of the Comprehensive Plan. He urged the County Commissioners to <br /> remember, in their deliberations, that housing is a social justice issue. <br /> Commissioner Carey asked what the AHAB would like to see included in the <br /> Comprehensive Plan that is not there related to affordable housing. <br /> Artie Franklin said that the process was executed in a way that made terminology loose <br /> enough that there could be a considerable amount of reading. There is not enough affordable <br /> housing for those 30% of median income and below and this is a very serious situation. In his <br /> opinion, these issues were not discussed as much as he would have liked to. He thinks that <br /> government has a role in providing and ensuring that those housing needs are met. He also <br /> thinks that the market has not done a good job of providing for people in the lower-median <br /> income areas. <br /> Housing Bond Program Update Gary Gaddy <br /> Gary Gaddy made reference to the spreadsheet. The landbanking aspect of the <br /> Housing Bond program is about 15% of the commitments. Ownership roughly ran about 27% of <br /> commitments from projects and provides 61 first-time homebuyers with opportunities. Rental <br /> represents about 58% of the commitments with approximately 105 renters. This includes <br /> money from the 1997 Housing Bond Funds that were unallocated, plus the $4 million from the <br /> 2001 Housing Bond. The money has now been committed from both bond programs, which <br /> means that another bond should be considered soon. <br /> Artie Franklin said that the County Commissioners are probably going to be looking at <br /> bonds soon, and he would like to see another Housing Bond because it is needed. <br /> Chair Jacobs wanted to point out that the County has used the last of the bond funding <br /> for affordable housing, because he thinks that the County Commissioners might have regarded <br /> the last project that they approved differently had they known that this was it, and that there <br /> were no more bond funds. <br /> Commissioner Gordon asked about this project, the Eno Haven rental housing project, <br /> for which the County was paying $1 million to a for-profit entity. She asked if the non-profit <br /> agencies had been notified that the last of the bond funding was about to be allocated. Tara <br /> Fikes answered that there had been no special notification to the non-profit agencies. <br /> Artie Franklin apologized if there was something else that the AHAB should have done in <br /> this regard. <br /> Commissioner Carey said that if the AHAB thinks that the Board should consider <br /> including affordable housing in the next bond, it should be formalized. <br /> Chair Jacobs agreed, especially since there will be three new County Commissioners. <br /> The more formal the communication, the better. <br /> Housing Authority Update Jabrina Robinson <br /> Jabrina Robinson made reference to the revised bylaws. She said that members of the <br /> community have been solicited to join the Housing Authority. One of the members will need to <br /> be a Section 8 voucher holder, so they will be targeting this group. Housing Authority <br /> Commissioners will have terms of five years. <br /> Commissioner Foushee arrived at 6:25 pm. <br />