HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-03-2015 - 8a
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ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:February 3, 2015
Action Agenda
Item No.8-a
SUBJECT:
Report of the Orange County Housing Authority
DEPARTMENT:Housing, Human Rights and PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)No
Community Development
ATTACHMENT(S):
INFORMATION CONTACT:
James E. Davis, Jr., 919-245-2488
Orange County Housing Authority Report
PURPOSE:
To provide an update on the activities undertaken by the Orange County Housing
Authority for 2014.
BACKGROUND:
In 2009 the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) appointed a group of
residentsto the Orange County Housing Authority Board. Prior to this time the BOCC had
served in the role of the Housing Authority Board. Activities of this Board include governing the
administration of the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program funded by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with the presentation of the
Housing Authority’s annual report.
RECOMMENDATION(S):
The Manager recommends that the Boardacceptthe report of the
Housing Authorityand provide feedback.
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MEMORANDUM
Earl McKee, Chair
TO:
Orange County Board of Commissioners
Audrey Spencer-Horsley, Director
CC:
Orange County Dept. of Housing, Human Rights& Community Development
Board Members, OCHA
Jean Bolduc, Chair
FROM:
Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
February 3, 2015
DATE:
Annual Report
SUBJ:
This year has been a productive and challenging one for the Oran
Authoritys Board of commissioners. With the retirement of longt
Fikes, our board has worked well with Interim Director James Davis and we l
to working with the current Director, Audrey Spencer-Horsley.
Though the following is not an exhaustive list, it does represenprimary
activities and accomplishments.
During the late Spring and through the Summer, there was a growi
controversy surrounding the decision of one property management
(GSC) to discontinue its acceptance of Housing Choice Vouchers.
corporate level decision based on many factors, having nothing to do with
Orange Countys voucher holders or the management of its program
Nevertheless, activists and housing advocates took up the issue
meeting regularly in an effort to force GSC to reverse its decis
Although we are always concerned about the pressure on our housi
Voucher program itself was managing this within its normal cours
were left, then, with a disconnect between the actual problem an
the problem.
Through the summer, Mr. Davis and I spend many Wednesday afternoons at
Empowerment, Inc. meeting with the ad hoc group of advocates who
assist the affected families. We spent a significant amount of t
misinformation on many points, the leading one being that these families were
losing their vouchers.
This activity culminated in a press conference given by the mayo
and Carrboro to bring attention to the issue and to assistance f
available to help families that needed emergency funds for security deposits. Mr.
Davis spoke at the August press conference, which was well cover
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OCHA 2014 Report
02/03/2015
and we both took questions from reporters during and following t
conference.
The Orange County Community, including several segments of housi
Takeaway:
providers, advocates, political leadership and the general publi
learning much more about the HCV program and how it works in Ora
Following the mayors press conference in August, the Housing Authority, as
promised, hosted an information session for landlords and the pu
program and how to participate as a housing provider. It was hel
County Library in Hillsborough and had modest attendance. We werisappointed
that none of the housing advocates were able to attend, after re
such a meeting.
As a beginning to our educational efforts, we have (in addition
created for the Landlords meeting) created a brochure that was printed in January
2015 after review with the Countys Public Information Officer. We are also
forward to taking advantage of new information infrastructure so
when the County launches its new website. Its critically importt that Orange
Countys Voucher program not rest on its laurels after many, m
a quietly well-run, effective program.
The Orange County Government has long supported the HCV program
Takeaway:
and now does so at an even greater funding level following Feder
2015, we would like to raise the profile of the HCV program and
taxpayers to highlight the value of that investment.
In response to the increased pressures on the Orange County hous
board voted at year-end to exercise its authority to increase the programs payment
standard to 110% of the HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) rate. We are
this change without authorization from HUD, but to extend furthe
would need written consent from HUDs Greensboro office. This will allow many
families to stay where they are, despite rental increases due to
expands the affordable options for those assisted by the HCV pro
to reduce the total number of families overall that we can help.
We have also taken administrative steps to bring onto our books
holders who have moved to Orange County with the permission of t
Most of these are families with vouchers issued from the Durham Housing
Authority. This process is called absorption and means that in
accepting a pass-thru payment from Durham with those vouchers being counted by
HUD as Durham vouchers, they become Orange County vouchers and a
administered in the future just as any other we issued. This is important f
because it helps to more accurately reflect the number of famili
receiving assistance from our program. It also reduces the admin
that is created for the two agencies who are cooperatively managing one voucher
two jurisdictions.
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OCHA 2014 Report
02/03/2015
Our struggle to operate as a board cannot be overstated. Followi
one board member and the loss of two others due to lack of atten
board member never appeared at all), we were forced to cancel severa
board meetings for lack of quorum. How to confront this problem
to mitigate its consequences took an unfortunately significant a
Mr. Davis and myself.
In the future, if faced with this type of issue, we will reach o
Takeaway:
Chair of the County Commissioners (and staff) for assistance muc
We have begun efforts to secure an HCV participant as a board me
by HUD) and hope to have a recommendation for the Board of Commissioners
review and approval in the first quarter of 2015. With a more complete complement
of board members in 2015, we hope to do more.
We welcome your feedback and guidance as to how we can better serve Orange County in
this important capacity of providing citizen oversight for the H
program. We look forward to a productive and progressive year ah