HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-02-2024; 12-6 - Information Item - Memorandum – Formation of a Focused Work Group to Address Low-Barrier Housing Needs and Opportunities ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Travis Myren
DATE: December 2, 2024
SUBJECT: Formation of a Focused Work Group to Address Low-Barrier Housing Needs and
Opportunities
On November 18, 2024, Orange County Justice United held a Countywide Assembly at Binkley Baptist
Church in Chapel Hill. In addition to their members,Justice United invited County Commissioners,
County staff, representatives from Alliance Health and members of the community to hear their
priorities and to seek commitments from Orange County and Alliance Health on these priorities.
Justice United has identified two key priorities for 2025: Home Preservation and Reentry Housing. The
Home Preservation priority seeks to identify flexible funds for home preservation and repair that will
clear the existing waitlist and provide sustainable funding moving forward. Reentry housing is accessible
housing that supports individuals returning from incarceration, including but not limited to, emergency
shelter, bridge housing, permanent supportive housing and transitional housing.The Reentry Housing
priority seeks the formation of a focused county work group administered by the County Manager's
office that will address immediate and long-range low-barrier housing needs and opportunities. In
addition to the work group,Justice United sought a commitment from Orange County and Alliance
Health to support an active search in 2025 for viable properties and potential funding to meet this
housing need.
Commissioners generally expressed support for both of the Justice United 2025 priorities.Alliance
Health representatives in attendance expressed support for the Reentry Housing priority and pledged a
willingness to participate in a County work group, if formed.
Orange County's Strategic Plan demonstrates the County's commitment to low-barrier and reentry
housing:
Priority 2: Healthy Community Increase equitable access to care and social safety net programming to
promote the physical, social, and mental well-being of our community.
Objective 1. Improve harm reduction, prevention, and therapeutic interventions for adults and children
experiencing behavioral health issues, substance use disorder, and intellectual or developmental
disability.
Objective 3. Provide protective services for our most vulnerable community members with practices
and resources that support reducing risk factors, ensuring safety, and achieving permanency.
300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough,NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181
ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
Objective 5. Provide deflection, diversion,therapeutic interventions, and re-entry support, including
housing for justice-involved children and adults.
Priority 3: Housing for All Promote equitable and accessible housing and address housing disparities
through policies, partnerships, and collaboration to create a thriving community.
Objective 1. Use regular federal and local funds to build and/or acquire new affordable housing.
Objective 2.Address the need and any policy barriers to increase access to emergency shelter beds and
other low-barrier housing, including eviction diversion.
Objective 3. Invest in permanent supportive housing and help residents achieve housing stability.
Objective 4. Prioritize and select County-owned land and/or facilities, including the Greene Tract, as part
of an overall plan of facilities to create crisis, bridge, low barrier, affordable, and permanent housing.
In order to further the Strategic Plan Priorities and Objectives, I will be convening a focused work group
that will begin meeting monthly in early 2025 to identify immediate and long-range options and
collaborations for developing evidence-based, low-barrier housing programs and accessible housing.The
work group will provide quarterly updates and immediate opportunities as they arise.The work group
will provide a final report in January 2026.
Prior to the work group beginning their effort, the County and Alliance Health will host a community
forum in January to hear from residents and stakeholders, particularly people with lived experience of
housing barriers.
The focused work group I am convening will include the following representatives, but will also consult
with other subject matter experts:
Blake Rosser, Orange County Housing Director
Daniel Butler, Orange County Homeless Programs Manager
Ben Gear, Orange County Local Reentry Council Coordinator
Cy Stober, Orange County Planning and Inspections Director
Paul Slack, Orange County Office of Equity and Inclusion Chief
Caitlin Fenhagen, Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department Director
Henry("Tommy") Green, Orange County Community Health Worker, FIT Program
300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough,NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181
ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
Ann Oshel, Alliance Health Senior V.P. for Community Health and Well-Being
Sarah Vinas, Chapel Hill Affordable Housing and Community Connections Director
Ann-Marie Vanaman, Carrboro Housing and Community Services Director
I look forward to updating the Commissioners on the progress of this work group in the months and year
ahead. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough,NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181