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Home My WebLink AboutOCHA Minutes 23-03-16 ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HOUSING DEPARTMENT Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM Virtual Meeting: https://orangecountync.zoom.us/i/98126441099 MEETING MINUTES Attending: Dennis Carmody, Alice Mahood, Jana Murdock-Doherty, Corey Root, Blake Rosser, Jenn Sykes A motion was made to approve the February OCHA Board Minutes [Sykes, Carmody]. All in favor, none opposed. Updates from Members • Alice Mahood presented the OCHA Annual Report to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Tuesday March 14, 2023. They had no questions, different from previous years. • As Chair of the Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB), Jenn Sykes presented the AHAB Annual Report (no link available) on the same date, the Commissioners also had no questions • Jenn Sykes spoke with the Sherriff's Deputy at the BOCC meeting, he is also the same person who issues eviction citations. The Deputy said there are many evictions now. Jenn encouraged him to contact the Housing Department o Corey Root added that the Housing Department has also seen sharp increases in evictions via the Housing Department's Eviction Diversion program Program Manager Report • Monthly Overview • Programmatic Reports— Utilization, Voucher Issuance, Two Year Tool, VMS • Informal Hearings— 1 on 3/1/23, 1 scheduled for 3/22/23 583/679 vouchers issued (81%), HAP funding utilized at 95% PUC at $690 per unit, with 12-month running average at $680 2022 year-end units under lease at 575 114 days average lease-up time, 86 days median • HCV Program Update Mailing Address Hillsborough Office Chapel Hill Office P.O.Box 8181 300 W.Tryon Street 2501 Homestead Road Hillsborough,NC 27278 Hillsborough,NC 27278 Chapel Hill,NC 27516 Telephone(919)245-2490 • Fax(919)944-8496 ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HOUSING DEPARTMENT Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM Virtual Meeting: https://orangecountync.zoom.us/i/98126441099 • PHA-Web conversion commenced, 1st week of training done and 2nd week for last week of March Admin Plan Comprehensive Update Staff worked throughout 2022 to update the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan. This is the document required by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) the outlines the details of HCV program processes and procedures. Staff aimed to reduce the bulk of this document, increase clarity, and incorporate trauma informed care into the policies and procedures outlines therein. Blake Rosser sent a document in advance of the meeting highlighting major changes as well as the old version of the Admin Plan, and the revised version of the Admin Plan. The February 2023 OCHA Board meeting began the discussion of these revisions and there are a few more items to consider. For the first of the unresolved items, the Board decided not to require Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) applicants to show a photo ID as part of the application process. The second item: Board like the language about OCHA "may" (not "must") terminate re: drug activity. There are many changes coming down the pike regarding drugs, including North Carolina potentially approving medical marijuana, and psychedelics becoming increasingly used for medical reasons. In practice, staff have only terminated Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) when participants have been evicted, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The Board would like to have information about terminations as a standing item in the monthly Program Manager report, as well as a standing item that details how many formal and informal hearings were held the previous month, inclusive of the participant issue, decision, and any further actions. The process for informal hearings is that Staff Rosser schedules the meeting, with another Housing Dept. manager as "hearing officer" (HO). The HO hears evidence and sees relevant documents from both OCHA (represented by Staff Rosser) and participant/applicant, at which point hearing ends. Then, within 2 weeks the HO makes their determination, which Staff Rosser relays to the participant. A motion was made to approve the OCHA Administrative Plan as amended [Sykes, Carmody]. Mailing Address Hillsborough Office Chapel Hill Office P.O.Box 8181 300 W.Tryon Street 2501 Homestead Road Hillsborough,NC 27278 Hillsborough,NC 27278 Chapel Hill,NC 27516 Telephone(919)245-2490 • Fax(919)944-8496 ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HOUSING DEPARTMENT Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM Virtual Meeting: https.11orangecountync.zoom.us/f/98126441099 All in favor, none opposed. Member Jana Murdock-Doherty joined the meeting at this point. There were two informal hearings in the previous month. One was a participant concerned with her rent calculation. The participant had other costs they want OCHA to take into account, including a large utility bill and medical expenses not taken into account when calculating the rent portion. The result was the OCHA inspector to visit, she did this the following day and found issues with the electricity and duct work. OCHA staff brainstormed with the tenant about working with the utility company. A second participant has an informal hearing scheduled in the coming weeks. This participant was terminated after being evicted from their unit, as is required by HUD for certain circumstances that were in play in this case. A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 6:44 pm [Sykes, Carmody]. All in favor, none opposed. Mailing Address Hillsborough Office Chapel Hill Office P.O.Box 8181 300 W.Tryon Street 2501 Homestead Road Hillsborough,NC 27278 Hillsborough,NC 27278 Chapel Hill,NC 27516 Telephone(919)245-2490 • Fax(919)944-8496