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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-20-2003-9aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 20, 2003 Action Agenda Item No. 9- Q SUBJECT: Housing Bond Program DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Dev. PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara L. Fikes, ext 2490 Proposal Summaries TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider awarding funding to the recommended affordable housing bond projects and authorize the Manager to issue a Letter of Commitment to each funded agency detailing the conditions of award. BACKGROUND: Orange County voters approved the second Affordable Housing Bond issue in November 2001 for affordable housing in the amount of $4 million dollars. Subsequently, the Affordable Housing Advisory Board (ARAB) began review of the existing bond policy in preparation of identifying projects to be financed from the 2001 bonds. AHAB's review has yielded further recommendations for modifications and the revised bond policy was presented to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and approved on October 15, 2002. On November 4, 2002, the County issued a Request for Proposals soliciting applications for the first round of bond funding with total available funds of $1,040,000. Funding pools were established in the following categories: Homeownership; Special Needs -Ownership or Rentals; and Non-Special Needs Rental and Cooperative Housing. Applications were due by the end of business on December 16, 2002, and five (5) applications were received by the deadline date. The five (5) proposals requested a total of $1,267,000. A summary of each application is provided with this abstract. Full copies of all applications are available upon request from the Housing and Community Development Department. The Project Review Committee met three (3) times to review applications and also invited each applicant to meet with the Committee to discuss their applications. Members of the Project Review and Selection (PRS) Committee included three Affordable Housing Advisory Board members -Frances Douglas, Stephen Jenks and Tracey Dudley; and the following staff persons -Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey; Housing/Community Development Director Tara L. Fikes; Planning Director Craig Benedict, Finance Director Ken Chavious, James Harris of Carrboro; Loryn Barnes of the Town of Chapel Hill, Margaret Hauth of the Town of Hillsborough. The BOCC appointed these members on December 2, 2002. The PRS Committee funding recommendations are indicated in the chart below. Project Type Requeste d PRS Recommendation BOCC Decision Homeownership _ EmPOWERment, Inc. $90,000 $90,000* _ Habitat for Humanity $170,000 $170,000 Special Needs _ OPC Foundation $260,000 Incomplete Application Non-Special Needs Rental _ Affordable Rentals $364,000 Incom lete A licatior_i Weaver Community Housing Association $270,000 $270,000 _ TOTAL $1,267,000 $530,000 * Conditional funding is recommended for this project pending approval of the Development Concept Plan by the Town of Chapel Hill by December 31, 2003. As noted above, the PRS Committee recommends funding for three applicants and no funding in this round for two others due to the incompleteness of their application. Local staff will work with these applicants to develop complete applications to submit during the second funding round. The second round will begin immediately after the BOCC approves this initial funding round and extend for 60 days. These funding recommendations are based on application review in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria of the Housing Bond Policy (October 15, 2002 version). The Bond Policy assigns points to each section of the Criteria. Projects that score above 60 points are considered eligible for funding. This, however, should not be interpreted as an absolute since final funding decisions are made at the discretion of the BOCC. The possible funding decisions by the BOCC include full funding; partial funding; and no funding with a recommendation to reapply. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The recommended bond projects, if fully funded, will commit $530,000 in Round One 2001 Affordable Housing bonds and is leveraged by approximately $1,024,513 in other funds. There is approximately $510,000 remaining from the round one funding level of $1,040,000 that would be available for another funding round. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board award funding as the Board decides and authorize the Manager to issue a Letter of Commitment detailing the conditions of award. Housing Bond Project Summary Applicant: EmPOWERment, Inc. Project Title: Sykes Street Revitalization Program Request for Bond Funds: $90,000 Total Project Costs: $380,000 Bond Fund Leverage: 24% bond funds; 76% other funding sources Project Description: EmPOWERment, Inc. proposes to utilize $90,000 of the Orange County Affordable Housing Bond money to assist low-income first-time homebuyers to purchase three newly constructed single-family homes in the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill. To implement this project as designed, EmPOWERment must be successful in a rezoning request for one of the identified building lots. Target Population/Projected Outcome: Three (3) families with incomes at or below 80% of median income Project Schedule Project Completion forecasted for six (6) months after funding commitment. Long Term Affordability Vehicle EmPOWERment, Inc. will certify that the property will remain. affordable for 99 years through the use of deed restrictions. Housing Bond Proiect Summary Applicant: Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC, Inc. Project Title: Rusch Road Request for Bond Funds: $170,000 Total Project Costs: $1,239,000 Bond Fund Leverage: 19% bond funds; 81 % other funding sources Project Description: Habitat for Humanity proposes to use $170,000 in Orange County Housing Bond funds to assist in building twelve (12) single-family dwelling units on Rusch Road in Chapel Hill. This property is in the Rogers Road community and is also near the recently completed Habitat subdivision of New Covenant Place. Target Population/Projected Outcome: Twelve (12) families with incomes at or below 50% of median income Project Schedule Begin infrastructure construction - January 2004 Begin house construction - September 2004 Complete house construction - December 2005 Long Term Affordability Vehicle Habitat for Humanity will follow the guidelines adopted by the County Commissioners and guarantee affordability for at least 99 years through the use of deed restrictions. Housing Bond Proiect Summary Applicant: Weaver Community Housing Corporation Project Title: Cedar Rock Cooperative Request for Bond Funds: $270,000 Total Project Costs: $682,253 Bond Fund Leverage: 39% bond funds; 61 % other funding sources Project Description: The Weaver Community Housing Association (WCHA) is seeking funding for the purchase of the Cedar Rock Apartments at 703 and 705 N. Greensboro Street in Carrboro. This property contains six (6) three-bedroom apartments that WCHA seeks to utilize the cooperative model by converting these six apartments into a cooperative residential community for low- income families and individuals. For clarification, a "cooperative unlit" is a habitable space that includes private sleeping space and shared access to living, dining, bath, kitchen and community facilities. Specifically, WCHA will provide 12 cooperative units (bedrooms): eight for individuals and four for families and one apartment will be community space to be used for child care, co-op meetings, skill development workshops, social activities, counseling, and guest accommodations. Target Population/Projected Outcome: Renters with incomes at or below 60% of median income Project Schedule Property acquisition - March 2003 Begin membership selection - Apri12003 Lease-up - May -November 2003 Long Term Affordability Vehicle Weaver Community Housing Corporation will follow the guidelines adopted by the County Commissioners and guarantee affordability for at least 99 years through the use of deed restrictions. Housing Bond Proiect Summary Applicant: Affordable Rentals, Inc. Project Title: Abbey Court Condominiums Request for Bond Funds: $364,000 Total Project Costs: $682,666 Bond Fund Leverage: 53% bond funds; 47% other funds Project Description: Affordable Rentals, Inc. is requesting $364,000 to assist in the acquisition of 13 rental units at Abbey Court Condominiums. After purchase, the property would be rehabilitated if necessary and leased to low-income families. Target Population/Projected Outcome: Thirteen (13) families that are in the 30% to 50% of median annual income category Bond Committee Recommendation The Bond Committee does not recommend this project for funding at this time due to the incompleteness of the submitted funding proposal. Housing Bond Project Summary Applicant: OPC Foundation for Mental Health Project Title: Property Acquisition Program Request for Bond Funds: $260,000 Total Project Costs: $282,000 Bond Fund Leverage: 92% bond funds; 8% other funding sources Project Description: OPC Foundation for Mental Health proposes to use $260,000 in Orange County Housing Bond funds to assist in the acquisition of two duplexes on Johnson Street in Chapel Hill. After purchase, the apartments would be renovated and leased to disabled adults. Two (2) of the four (4) units would be used for crisis/short-term housing for disabled adults who were recovering from hospitalization or attempting to prevent hospitalization. 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