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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-05-1997 - 7a ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No. 2-4 ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 5, 1997 SUBJECT: Orange County Consolidated Plan Annual Update DEPARTMENT: Housing and Community Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Executive Summary Tara L. Fikes TELEPHONE NUMBERS: --ext. 2490 Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive comments from the public regarding the housing and non-housing needs to be included in the 1997-98 Annual Update of the Consolidated Housing Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs in Orange County and proposed uses of 1997-98 HOME funds. BACKGROUND: In 1995, a Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs in Orange County was developed and approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This document details the housing needs of very low income, low income and moderate income families and special population groups in addition to outlining the strategies and plans for addressing those needs. The Consolidated Plan is required for all communities receiving HOME funds and CDBG entitlement funds(Chapel Hill). Each year, local communities are required to reassess the needs of the community. This public hearing provides an opportunity for citizens, public agencies and other interested parties to provide input into the Plan. In addition, the public is asked to comment on proposed uses of$379,000 in 1996-97 HOME funds. Eligible HOME Program activities include: acquisition; new construction; housing rehabilitation; and rental assistance. In order to inform the general public of this opportunity and encourage participation, notices have been placed in the Chapel Hill Herald and sent to local non-profit agencies. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends receiving comments as prescribed above. 2 Orange County Consolidated Plan for 1996 Annual Update 1996-97 Executive Summary BACKGROUND In an effort to streamline several programs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development now requires all jurisdictions that receive federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, federal HOME Program funds, Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) and grants for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) to submit a Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs. The Town of Chapel Hill receives federal Community Development Block Grant funding each year and the Orange County HOME Consortium receives HOME funding each year. Since the Town of Chapel Hill is a member of the Orange County HOME Consortium, the County is permitted to submit one plan that details the housing needs and activities of the entire County including Chapel Hill. The Consolidated Plan not only serves as an application for each of the four programs, but also seeks to further the statutory goals of these programs through a collaborative process whereby a community establishes a unified vision of housing and community development actions to address identified housing needs. The Orange County HOME Consortium submitted the 1995- 2000 Consolidated Plan to HUD on May 16, 1995 which was approved in July 1995. Each year, the Consortium is required to submit an annual update to the 1995 - 2000 Consolidated Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by May 15th.' Prior to beginning to developing the 1997-98 Annual Update, a public hearing must be held to hear citizen comments regarding housing and community development needs and proposed activities which should be included in the Plan. A public hearing was held by the Chapel Hill Town Council on January 28, 1997 to receive citizen comments regarding housing needs and the proposed use of $455,000 in CDBG funds Chapel Hill will receive in the 1997-98 fiscal year. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to receive citizen comments on March 5, 1997 regardbig housing needs and the proposed use of $379,000 in HOME funds the County HOME Consortium will receive in the 1997-98 fiscal year. After the Orange County hearing, a staff working group that includes a representative from each jurisdiction in the County will develop the draft Annual Update document. Once the draft has been completed, citizens will be allowed to review the document and provide comments to local staff during the month of April 1997, which will be the official comment period. Each jurisdiction must approve the Update prior to submission to HUD. Tentatively, the Annual Update is scheduled to be considered for approvals the Town of Chapel on April 28; Orange County on May 5; Carrboro on May 6; and Hillsborough on May 12. 3 Housing Priorities The Consolidated Plan for Orange County identified the following housing priorities for 1995-2000. 1. Provide rehabilitation assistance for very low and low income homeowners and renters. 2. Reduce the number of owner-occupied and rental housing units without indoor plumbing. 3. Provide assistance to households at less than 80 percent of median family income to connect existing public water and sewer systems. 4. Facilitate the construction of new or substantially rehabilitated housing units that are affordable to families below 60% of the area median income. 5. Facilitate the construction of up to 50 new units of rental housing affordable to very low and low income families. 6. Create transitional housing units for shelter residents who can live independently. 7. Assist local non-profit human service agencies to provide a continuum of housing options for special populations, including older adults, the disabled, the mentally ill, and persons with AIDS. Non-housing Community Development Priorities 1. Provide economic development opportunities to low and moderate income citizens,in Chapel Hill. 2. Revitafte the business areas serving low income neighborhoods of Chapel Hill. 4 Description of Key Projects The 1995-2000 Consolidated Plan for Orange County and the 1996-97 Annual Update identified the following key projects: Land acquisition, rehabilitation, and public services for children in the Pine Knolls neighborhood ($125,000). Infrastructure, including the upgrading of parking lots, sidewalks, landscaping, open areas, street furniture, street lights, signage, and traffic signals ($50,000). Rehabilitation of public housing in the South Estes Drive and Craig Gomains neighborhoods ($650,000). Housing rehabilitation deferred loans to low income owner and renter households ($300,000). Acquisition of eight units in the Carr Court neighborhood in Carrboro for rehabilitation and sale to low income households ($162,500). Construction of the InterFaith Council Project HomeStart transitional housing development on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill ($50,000). Site Improvements at the Culbreth Park subdivision to facilitate new housing construction by Habitat for Humanity ($16,000) Site improvements for a small housing demonstration project on Scarleft Drive and Legion Road to be developed by the Orange Community Housing Corporation ($73,770). Construction of transitional housing units for formerly homeless substance abusers to be built by Freedom House in partnership with InterFaith Council ($337,000) Acquisition and rehabilitation of one rental unit by the Orange Person Chatham Mental Health Agency for a severe, persistently mentally ill county resident ($40,000) Support continued operation of the InterFaith Council Employment Project, a job training and substance abuse counseling program for shelter residents ($15,000) Assist EmPOWERment, Incorporated purchase Merritt Mill Square property with release of funds for this purpose conditional on staff review of responses to the nine issues raised by the HOME Consortium ($70,000)