HomeMy WebLinkAboutAHAB Agenda Minutes, January 2023 Orange County Affordable Housing
Advisory Board (AHAB)
GRANGE COUNTY Meeting Agenda
HOUSING DEPARTMENT Tuesday,January 10, rChapel30 PM
Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill
104 S Estes Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Zoom link:
https:Horangecountync.zoom.us/j/87805574687?pwd=RnNDNWsrNVItQWIuVlZHZU82eEJMQT09
I. Call to Order: 6:00
II. Outside Agency presentations (1 hour)
a. Habitat for Humanity
i. Laine Staton—Orange Habitat
ii. Apps for Weaver's Grove are open now; they will close Jan 17. So far, 200
applications.
iii. Trying to increase visibility/transparency. People are applying for home loan
when they apply to Habitat.You have to be mortgage ready. You're joining a
community. Need people who are open to creating culture. Helping people
think about the long-term is part of the job. It takes a while to get to the point
of homeownership; folks are taking pre-counseling, HOA classes, etc. People are
not guaranteed homes, but most do move through program.Staff have these
relationships with the homeowners for 30+years. But Habitat is also a bank;
they have to collect money.
iv. Application considerations: application take about 4 months b/c there are 7
stages: prequalifying, pre-approval, credit/background check, collect
documents, underwriting, interview, board approval.
v. Guarantee that mortgage will not be more than 30%of income
vi. Habitat is selling 6 units this Spring
vii. Staff conduct interviews to get to know the circumstances; try to impact the
most people
viii. Occasionally will do third-party lending for more cash flow(this helped fund
Weaver's Grove)
b. EmPOWERment
i. Delores Bailey, LaTanya Davis, Sharon Reid
Orange County Affordable Housing
Advisory Board (AHAB)
GRANGE COUNTY Meeting Agenda
HOUSING DEPARTMENT Tuesday,January 10, rChapel30 PM
Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill
104 S Estes Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Zoom link:
https:Horangecountync.zoom.us/j/87805574687?pwd=RnNDNWsrNVItQWIuVlZHZU82eEJMQT09
ii. PEACH dedicated to 30%AMI housing
iii. Mission: affordable housing, economic development, community stabilization.
Empowerment came from community movement
iv. Bright Path Solutions provides resources for women and minority owned
businesses
v. Had monthly meetings with community and police to bring stability to
community, and it worked
vi. Provide affordable homeownership and rental. EMPOWERment owns 65
affordable rentals. With peach, it will be 75
vii. Mitigating barriers for OC residents,whether income, gender, race, etc.
viii. Over half of OC residents are renters; generally residents are transitioning from
homelessness and poverty,very low income. OC is losing African American
population due to lack of affordable housing
ix. In 1996, EmPOWERment became HUD certified housing counseling agency for
delinquency and pre-purchase. Org has served over 1,000 people.Things shifted
in 2005. Began acquiring property. Started doing counseling with families to
keep them in their homes
x. Started partnering with OC's Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) program to
keep families in their homes
xi. 76 participants filled out survey about EHA;very good results
xii. 1200 homes needed to fill housing gap
xiii. 25%of EMPOWERment's members live at or below poverty level and have
school-aged children; EMPOWERment makes meal baskets for holidays.
Provided 400 turkeys for Thanksgiving. Provided 180 gift cards.
xiv. Conduct annual survey to make sure they're addressing tenants' needs and
concerns
Orange County Affordable Housing
Advisory Board (AHAB)
GRANGE COUNTY Meeting Agenda
HOUSING DEPARTMENT Tuesday,January 10, rChapel30 PM
Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill
104 S Estes Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Zoom link:
https:Horangecountync.zoom.us/j/87805574687?pwd=RnNDNWsrNVItQWIuVlZHZU82eEJMQT09
xv. EMPOWERment isn't just about affordable housing; a lot of the people they
work with aren't living in EMPOWERment units
xvi. Funding comes from Orange County funds, rent, and private donations
xvii. How do folks find EMPOWERment? DSS,word of mouth, partners, IFC, Family
Success Alliance
c. The Community Empowerment Fund
i. Ari Rosenberg
ii. Focus on supporting on homeless or housing insecure and whatever their needs
are. Often housing, but can be ID documents, financial coaching, building
savings, etc. Offices in Durham and OC(more than half use OC office). Model is
relation-based support; 2 advocates for every member
iii. Have match-savings program. Members set goal and get 15% match up to$300.
Expanding with the homebuyer's program.
iv. CEF works closely with 40 community partners (including Habitat and
Empowerment); Orange community hub; partners hold office hours in that
space so they're super accessible.
v. This week CEF provided support to folks applying for Affordable Healthcare
vi. 206 advocates, 3109 members, 93 jobs, 100 stable homes; severe lack of
housing
vii. CEF is part of the House Us Now Coalition; what we need is structural change,
more funding.
viii. Changes for 2023
1. Bringing back group financial coaching sessions
2. Expanding homebuyer program in both counties; goal is to have 25
families purchasing homes in each municipality. Partnering with Habitat
Orange County Affordable Housing
Advisory Board (AHAB)
GRANGE COUNTY Meeting Agenda
HOUSING DEPARTMENT Tuesday,January 10, rChapel30 PM
Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill
104 S Estes Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Zoom link:
https:Horangecountync.zoom.us/j/87805574687?pwd=RnNDNWsrNVItQWIuVlZHZU82eEJMQT09
and Community Home Trust. Focused on supporting financial coaching,
homeowner education, match for down payment assistance
3. Focus on ending racial-wealth gap (homeownership is huge)
4. Completed 5 year strategic plan; important that they are member-led,
member-driven. CEF has many staff members with lived experience.
Committed to making sure that underrepresented voices are at the
forefront
d. The Center for Community Self-Help
i. Dan Levine
ii. Based in Durham, but have a lot of members at credit union in OC.
iii. For the last 10 years,they've been doing a lot of housing work, particularly in
Carrboro and Chapel Hill
iv. Loans to affordable housing developers, mortgages for homebuyers
v. About 25 on real estate team; do small business/nonprofit office space,
affordable housing development, support many African American communities
vi. Self-Help does a lot of behind-the-scenes work to support nonprofits
vii. Northside Neighborhood Initiative
1. Retain long-term residents
2. Ensure houses at risk of becoming investor-owned student rentals,
transition to families or creative housing opportunities aligned with
neighborhood vision
3. Attract new and diverse families who want to live close, proud,
connected
4. Engage existing student population in the history,traditions,values, and
cultural practices of these historically Black neighborhoods
Orange County Affordable Housing
Advisory Board (AHAB)
GRANGE COUNTY Meeting Agenda
HOUSING DEPARTMENT Tuesday,January 10, rChapel30 PM
Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill
104 S Estes Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Zoom link:
https:Horangecountync.zoom.us/j/87805574687?pwd=RnNDNWsrNVItQWIuVlZHZU82eEJMQT09
5. Focused on retention—keeping community members that have been
here for a long time
viii. How have you been able to preserve neighborhoods/families of color? Funding
has just helped people with home repairs, pay property tax bills, etc. Find new
families through Jackson Center(they have a list of interested parties) and other
partners
ix. Competing against investors; sometimes Self-Help doesn't win
x. Center for Community Self Help started in Durham, but national company.
Money that they get from OC is going directly to OC.
xi. Do all of these Outside Agencies require that members be documented?
1. Habitat requires that they are legal residents. Empowerment and CEF
do not require documentation. Self-Help's members have to have
taxpayerlDs.
III. Finish Annual Report and Work Plan (20 minutes)
IV. Member Updates (10 minutes)
a. Mae: St Paul—increase in affordable housing units; 22 acres of land. Duplexes. Most
affordable housing but a couple at market value
b. Jenn:TOH police bought unsheltered man a tent
c. Corey: progressive engagement model, but SOHRAD still engages with folks. What kind
of temporary housing are they needing? What kind of permanent housing?That can
change depending on weather. SOHRAD will provide hotels on really cold nights.
V. Adjourn: 7:35