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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 04-11-2000-5bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 11, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. ~_ SUBJECT: Affordable Housing Task Forces DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Dev. PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S); INFORMATION CONTACT; Affordable Housing Summit Notes Tara L. Fikes, ext. 2490 Interested Participant List TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider the creation of Affordable Housing Task Forces to develop a county- wide, long-range (10-year) strategic Affordable Housing Plan. BACKGROUND: On Monday, March 13, 2000, the Board of Commissioners with the support of the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough sponsored an Affordable Housing Summit to bring together various representatives to discuss the following topics. 1. The need for affordable housing in Orange County; 2. The identification of barriers to fulfilling those needs; 3. Development of strategies to overcome the identified barriers; and 4. The development of a county-wide, long-range (10-year) strategic Affordable Housing Plan. Approximately 100 members of the community participated in the Summit with 21 individuals indicating an interest in continuing the dialogue. Included with this abstract are a summary of summit proceedings and a list of the 21 interested persons. Prior discussion regarding task force formulation to further discuss this issue has suggested the need to form two study groups. One would be a county-wide task force that would focus on the future development/facilitation of affordable housing throughout the County including the Towns. The other group would focus on the role of the university in address the affordable housing needs of the County. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact of these task forces is dependent upon the final structure of the Affordable Housing Task Forces. Possible financial items may include additional staff support and research assistance. 2 RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider creation of Affordable Housing Task Forces to develop acounty-wide, long-range (10-year) strategic Affordable Housing Plan. Notes from the Orange County Affordable Housing Summit. March 13, 2000 mall r u osters Needs, Barriers, Ideas ndivitdual Index Cards Needs to be fulfilled within..... Red Cards -Within two (2) years Green Cards - Within two -five (5) years Blue Cards -Within Five -10 years W 'tten Com ants March 29, 2000 ~' SMALL GROUP POSTER: GROUP 1 Group 1: Needs - Low to middle income housing non-existent going by HUD's definition(includes rental and purchase) -' Needs for persons with disabilities - Young and elderly don't qualify for assistance (forces these people to move to very. cheap areas which may have high crime rates, for example) - Students can gang up and pay more - New construction for affordable housing - Better-than-substandard affordable housing (some landlords not maintaining acceptiable/safe properties) - Rising cost of living - Low-income people who live alone need quality place to live (SRO) - Create SRO (Single Room Occupancy)that someone who can pay $200-300 can afford - Get Fed to make adjustments due to mixed incomes - Moderately priced starter homes (1,500 sq. ft.; SO% median income) - Caring - Cheaper land - Use land more effectively to gain more affordable land - Low-income public housing group that may be transitory to ownership - . Take advantage of higher density housing - 20-30,000 subsidy per units with free land - reduce fees to nonprofits (e.g., OWASA) - change criterion for Fed/State incomes - political will to establish appropriate densities - reduce barriers to affordable housing (10-15,000 or less) - address needs of elderly and disabled less than senior citizen age. - Safe, affordable housing for incomes of $6-8,000/yr; $12,000/yr for those w/ serious disabilities - Opps (Opportunities) to move from rental to ownership - Section 8; lose vouchers _ Few landlords accept vouchers - Don't have Section 8 and can't afford rent; no outlet - Cash doesn't work for Section 8 -landlords don't accept - Educate landlords to accept Section 8 residents - Require landlords to accept Section 8 residents (might be a condition of granting license/narrowly crafted) - Students flooding market z Group 1: Barriers - People are not sensitive/aware to low income levels in Chapel Hill area (ex: 7,000 - 8,000 per year) - Funding - State restrictions on local gouts on how to raise money, zone - Don't work together with state - State delegations are not lined up - Attitudes that people are operating with snobbery - Availability/builders - Incentives for developers to build low income housing - Low appreciation of human need and what effect it can have socially, economically (ex: Michigan shooting) - Opposition to density - Attitudes - Snobbery. - Fear - Availability of affordable land - Cost of infrastructure - Student population - Rural buffer - Preserve rural character - Urban sprawl - Lack of commitment - Land use ordinances - Non-regional fraction approach. Maybe protectionist approach - Time from start to finish of project -approval - Lack of creativity, acceptance of new ideas - Lack of new living arrangements Group 1: Ideas to address "lack of commitment sensitivity by policy makers and stakeholders to funding and innovation." - Increase tax dollars - Change state law - Celebrate successes - Vote for the proper leadership - Educate as to the human need and social benefits of safe affordable housing - Diversity and inclusion are positive quality of life issues - Public/private sector cooperation 3 S~.L~_GROUP~OSTER: GROUP 2 Group 2: Needs - Definition of needs - Differentiate "housing" and "human" needs - Inclusive housing units (handicapped units; singles; low-income; 70% - 100% median income range) - Private enterprise involvementlsolution - Stem social stratification - Consensus on what type of housing to be built - Process expedited by elected officials with public support - Political will - Subsidy money - Quantify housing needs to determine resource allocation - Rental housing, apartments, modular homes - Timing Group 2: Barriers - Affordable, buildable, lovable, desirable, land - Location of/for affordable housing developments/units (infrastructure) - Transportation - Impact and hook-up fees - Lack of funding for under 60% median income range - Development approval process - Negative attitudes, turfism, NIMBYism (NIMBY -Not In My Backyard) - Adjoining property values have to be maintained - Density and zoning - Maintaining affordability (appropriate % of equity to first owner) - Lack of rent control - Lack of contractors willing to work in Orange County - Lack of staff support in nonprofits - Preserving family property within the long standing community Group 2: Ideas on "Negative attitudes, turfism, NITMBYism" - Community building activities and education - Educate elected officials and support good decisions - Mini conferences and community meetings - Define "affordable housing" - Streamline development approval process - Document facts regarding affordable housing - Combine affordable housing with public amenities (parks, bikeways/paths) - Public education campaign a MAL G P P STE ROU 3 Group 3: Needs - Housing for disabled and elderly - Housing transition support (social, emotional, financial) - Inclusive communities - Single housing available for non-students - affordable housing fox service workers - Homeless -- leaving shelter - UNC provide more housing --beyond students -- for s.workers, staff, faculty - UNC to build student villages - Transitional housing (can rent one room and move up; single room occupancy; teenage independent living) - Housing for first time home buyers, young professionals, teachers - Maintain housing for long term, not just first owner - Taxes are difficult to afford, so they must sell and move b/c increase in value - Developers need to be able to make money from building affordable housing - Affordable rental housing - Home ownership is also about equity- so balance - Affordable may also be small - Work with houses that already exist (e.g., divide $200,000 homes into 4 apartments). - Rent one room for income - Upkeep classes - Shared space in communities Providing water and sewer svcs - OWASA -limited service area; understand water quality and sheds - Increased density that respects public space - Long term affordable and high quality (mobile homes are neither) - Commitment to energy efficiency (so long term costs are affordable) - Option to be near work so driving not essential - supply and demand market (even small lots and houses are expensive) - market driven - rural buffer may increase cost of new housing; limit buffer to 2 acres - Need to understand implications of having/not having a rural buffer. Tradeoffs might not be necessary. Win/win outcome maybe possible. - Clarify how to create affordable housing. - Clarify the needs for these groups (5% for elderly?) - Who are you trying to provide for? 50% of income? This would merge separate communities into larger group. Brings in the diversity -full and complete - of Orange County - Can this be addressed countywide, or do we need a southern Orange and northern Orange plan? - Public understanding the forces that affect housing casts which can be controlled by groups in the county - Drugs can mess up housing - so enforce - Hispanic population increase 'and in much of the affordable housing that currently exists. So little opportunity for others to move into this existing housing. - Understand that housing is available for all. - Need should reflect changes in populations. - money to fund home maintenance, acid for housing in general - Need commitment from County, churches...it is investment in our community -- so all should get involved. - don't lose existing affordable housing (i.e., UNC tearing down married student housing -but not rebuilding) Group 3: Barriers - Development ordinances - Inventory them - Cause increased costs (curb and gutter, open and recreational space) - Do these ordinances prevent creativity? - Decreasing State and fed funding for affordable housing nonprofits - Not enough land - Attractive community =high demand =high cost - ~ Community doesn't understand the need for affordable housing or the impact of the lack of affordable housing - Economy does not support the issue (people cannot afford housing vs. housing is too expensive) University students. do not have University housing (student villages for 17,000) - Private developers not building affordable housing (George Tate has) Prejudice against small houses in building codes, financing, insurance - Builders supply large houses - Bank not financing people - No commitment among university, county, cities - OWASA: fees, hook-up, maybe make nonprof is exempt - Can't spend the County money that we have: Why? - No silver bullet, maybe many small ones will work - Impact fees vs. impact tax; home rule - Time it takes to get development approved - inadequate prep for home ownership - Costs a lot to develop affordable housing Group 3: Ideas on "Commitment to Affordable Housing" Get groups of people together, as follows: - University: student housing, land - Local Gev't: regulations; fast track development process; lobbying for home rule; funding - Banks: lending practices - Citizens: community understanding - Homebuilders Assoc: develop lower cost housing - Religious groups: support identification - Nonprof t organizations ~o SMALL GROU~~OSTER: GROUP 4 Group 4: Needs - consider definition and range of "affordable" - Mortgage downpayment assistance - University housing problems: housing for students/staff; more students on campus; student rental pressures; neighborhood gentrification - Affordable rentals - Preserve existing affordable neighborhoods - Legislative tools, e.g., inclusionary zoning, tax flexibility - Community education: affordable housing and density , - affordable housing dispersion and integration into community (increase sense of unity among diff income groups) - Maintain long-term affordability - Create housing stock to reflect employment opps - Land, land, land - Affordable housing for special pops: elderly, disabled, etc. - Renovation and rehab of existing housing - Consider ability of those on limited incomes to pay increased taxes - Communication between builders and policy makers - Encourage private development of affordable housing . - Assistance to those spending more than 30% of income on housing Group 4: Barriers - Land - $ Resources (includes fees paid to OWASA) - Political attractiveness: racial and economic prejudice, lack of community education around issue, bias against higher density - Lack of incentives for private market - Need for .affordable housing is increasing while the affordable housing stock is decreasing - Design guidelines too costly - Bureaucracy (length of dev process) - Location (access to jobs, transportation, infrastructure) Group 4: Ideas on "Resources for Development Funding" - Create housing trust fund with dedicated source of funding (county 1 cent tax) - Inclusionary housing devs - Private market incentives - Timely allocation of existing bond - Devoting larger portions of existing gov budgets to affordable housing - Reduced dev, fees (OWASA and gouts) - Land resources (private and public land donations) - Payment in-lieu from non-residential and residential - Voluntary contribution check-off on personal property tax forms, voluntary tax - Portion of Green Tract - UNC-raised housing fund in other alumni giving programs - Livable wage scale for all Orange County public/private employees - Greater funding to existing nonprofits - High-profile recognition of contributors to affordable housing ~a SMALL GROUP POSTER: GROUP S Group 5: Needs - Location (land where it will be developed) - Financial capabilities - Look at entire scope of affordable living - Jobs/stability - Federal subsidies - Proper planning (at all levels of government) - Fix up existing housing - Size and type: single parents, safe, small enough - Policies which allow for a wide variety of lifestyles - Loans for small homes _ - More UNC student housing - Single room occupancy - Places for people with disabilities - More section 8 housing - Lowest income level housing within bike/bus/walk distance of jobs - Education about diverse communities integrating diff housing types - Translate Section $ guidelines into local gov policies for home ownership - Local communities need more input into local gov decisions - County speedup disbursement of bond fund - Set up a county trust fund - University, town housing task force - Housing for median income people - Improved tech assistance - Reduce/fix up substandard housing - Educate population on scope of affordable housing - It's not a free market as it is (A.BODE Report is a good resource) Group 5: Barriers - Lack of coordination within agencies dealing with investment in affordable housing - Lack of coordination in general, and especially with public - Lack of public awareness, sympathy, understanding - Lack of land, money, design variation, appropriate tech assistance - Lack of choices in housing variations - Lack of improvements of existing real estate - Public sentiment against infill - Innate self interest/greed io - Profits come from higher priced construction - Legislation preventing inclusionary zoning - Can't do impact taxes, only impact fees - Fees (OWASA) haven't been proportional in past - Legislation is often a disincentive to affordable housing - High fees make affordable housing difficult - Lack of data indicating upcoming housing needs - Lack of transportation - Banks afraid to lend for anything new, different - Lack of sense of urgency among leadership - People don't want to live near those with disabilities - Fear of losing property values or living near others who are different - Lack of money for existing homes Group 5: ideas for addressing ~~lack of public support" - Change public opinion in favor of supporting governmental and community measures, policies, programs to address affordable housing - Establish a central housing group with reps from: UNC, county, cities, nonprofits, churches, corporations/business, general public, affordable housing users - Develop a web site with information to promote public understanding and action on affordable housing - Build public commitment through understanding of what affordable housing means - Publicize where public money is being spent (mortgage deduction; transportation system geared toward private transit). Realize that there already are subsidies. - Publicize affordable housing successes -- give people a picture of public housing - Expand definition; include new and old housing - Studies showing what happened in other areas in regard to affordable housing changes/practices - Proper planning (at all levels of government) - Fix up existing housing - Size and type: single parents, safe, small enough - Policies which allow for a wide variety of lifestyles - Loans for small homes - Single room occupancy - .Lowest income level housing within bike/bus/walk distance of jobs - Education about diverse communities integrating diff housing types - Translate Section 8 guidelines into local govt policies for home ownership - County speed up disbursement of bond fund - Set up a county trust fund - University, town housing task force ii I~- PARTICIPANTS' INDEX CARDS, "Needs to be fulfilled within... Red Index Cards :............ 2 years - Allocate 1 cent tax to affordable housing, - Educate public and build consensus - Renovate local codes - Change OWASA rate schedule - Task force with University to deal with student/university/ affordable housing needs - Revolving loan fund with county money - Subsidies for affordable housing units - Streamline approval city and county process - Extend OWASA - Preserve existing neighborhoods - Reduce property taxes on affordable housing - Require large developments to have high % of affordable housing - affordable housing for single parents and families below poverty line - Public hearing for citizens - Small group meetings to address community affordable housing needs (churches, govt, businesses, housing profit/nonprofits) - Chancellor, Commissioners, Councils, Business General Assembly decide to make affordable housing a top priority . - Fund existing affordable housing projects - affordable housing definition including maximum square footage and price - Overall problems of economy advancing interests and financial stakes at others expense (increase fair wages, workplace democracy, home rule) - Housing trust fund; land trust - Fix up and resell existing affordable housing with funds from banks, churches, individuals - University commitment to build housing for students/faculty/staff (Horace Williams) - Cheapest accountability of affordable housing nonprofits, developers, public. money - affordable housing for 70-100% median income range - Define needs; differentiate between "human need" and "housing need" - Political will and timing - Quantify need in order to allocate resources - Consensus on type of affordable housing to be built - Affordable rentals - Inclusive housing - Public affordable housing education campaign (scope of need; benefits of diverse community; how tax dollars are being spent; Arcadia) 12 IS - Flexible density standards in regard to low income housing - Safe, affordable, housing for $6-12,000 range and those with disabilities - Construction of moderately priced homes - Address rising cost of living - Use land more efficiently - Landlords must accept Section S vouchers - Change state laws to allow local gouts to do more - Funding for low income housing - Change regulations to allow for greater densities - Section $ vouchers for Club Nova apartments - Address students flooding housing market - Housing for SBO with limited incomes (especially men) - Cheaper land - Reduce infrastructure costs - Remove local barriers - Increase tax dollars - Proper govt planning - Improve tech assistance - Loans for small homes - Establish central housing group - Conduct studies determining affordable housing needs - Develop public/private housing corp. - Mortgage development assistance - Town meetings - Opptys to move from rental to ownership - Reduce fees to nonprofits - Sense of unity/community among dill income groups - Maintain long term affordability - Preserve existing affordable housing - Incentives for private sector investment - Increase communication between builders and policy makers 13 I~ Green Index Cards :.................... 2 - 5 years - 2005 of increase in housing is 80% of median - revolving loan fund (contributed by a113 govt entities) - prepare county affordability report (like Wake County) - County database of housing types - County/Town/UNC/ affordable housing, task force - Vote on remaining proposal for bond funding - County housing trust fund and other fielding resources - Supportive legislation (inclusionary zoning) - More participation from nonprofits - Redefine affordable housing to include fair wage/living costs, overall equity and oPPty - Funding - Timing - Subsidy money - - Quantify affordable housing needs to allocate resources - Speedup approval process - Affordable rental housing (apartments, modular homes) - Ease social stratification - Encourage private sector investment - New affordable housing construction - Housing for first time homeowners - Housing for town and UNC service workers - Get UNC to offer lots more appealing student housing on campus (Horace Williams) - Survey to determine existing and projected needs - Develop Horace Williams land to include affordable housing (less than 80% median income range - .University must take responsibility for housing students - UNC student housing villages to free up land within 1 mile of downtown CH and Carr for land trust and home ownership - Subsidy money community education - Private sector investment - Inclusive affordable housing - Change impact fees - Fed changes for mixed incomes - Public housing that may transitory to ownership Moderately priced starter homes (80% and higher) - Address needs of elderly and disabled - SROs cheaper land is - Mixed use zoning providing jobs in walking distances from homes - Upgrading substandard housing - Develop infill incentives - Zone more land for O-I - Gradually change attitudes - Housing for all UNC/town/county/school employees - Enable elderly to stay in homes despite rising property taxes - Make utilities available to new areas for affordable construction - More land - Do not add 1 cent tax raise because the tax rate is a reason why housing here is not affordable - Require landlords to accept section S vouchers - Prevent students from living in subsidized housing - Improve planning (population growth; land use; transportation; agency coordination) - Improve public transportation services - UNC/town task force - County trust fund - Single room occupancy - Legislate local govt tools (impact fees; TDRs; inclusionary zoning; APF ordinances) - Housing stock to reflect employment opps - Maintain long term affordability - Assist those who spend more than 30% on housing - affordable housing dispersed throughout county - OWASA reduce fees to nonprofits - Change state laws to encourage building diverse, accessible housing to single parents, low income, disabled, elderly 15 I~ Blue Index Cards :..............................5 - IO years - Elderly housing - Rental affordable housing - Build at least 200 units for all segments of community - Housing with shared spaces (shared kitchens) - At least 50 home ownership units complete - At least 300 rental units complete - Preservation of wild areas/parkland/natural resources - $50 million housing trust fund - UNC built housing - All new development includes 20% affordable housing - Subsidy money - affordable housing for singles, families, disabled - affordable housing education . - Speedup approval process - Consensus on types of affordable housing to be built - Private sector involvement - Change state laws to encourage building diverse, accessible housing to single parents, low income, disabled, elderly - Nonprofit break on OWASA fees - Increase affordable housing for 80-100% median income range - SROs - Higher density housing - Talk to Fed reps about MSA designations - Housing for elderly and disabled - New construction (single occupancy, boarding houses, shared baths and kitchens - UNC housing more students - Incentives for developers to build more affordable housing - Land - Housing stock to reflect employment opps - Change criterion for fed/state incomes - 20-30,000 subsidy per units with free land - Govt small home loans - Develop goals. and time tables - Award and publicize affordable housing successes and affordable housing builders - Renovate existing housing - UNC addressing student long term growth - Identify potential areas for utility extensions once infill is complete - Alternative methods to require/protect affordable housing stock - Change construction regulations and fees ~s - Focus on developing community commitment, understanding commitrnent (infill projects; mix of housing; population diversity) i~ r~ i'I'T .N O MFNT HENRY T. CLARK, J~R., M.D. R~VrU ~ ~ ~ ~. 5 ~ ~ ~ a a #198 CAROL WOODS 75U WEAVER DAIRY ROAD CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA 27514 TEL: (919) 918-3619 March 13, 2000 To the Orange County Commissioners: I am writing to comment on the shortage of Affordable Housing for many law income residents of Orange County and~to suggest some steps to improve that situation. Several weeks ago Y wrote a "letter to~the editor" of The Ch~el Hi11 News which was published in its January 30, 2000 issue.. ~~Later~, on March 12, that newspaper published an editorial about Affordable Housing which 2 fully endorse. T am attaching copies of both as background for the following commentary. Few people in Orange County today will question the fact that we have a large and growing. problem in Orange County in providing affordable housing for many of our low income citizens. An ABODE report of July 1999 documents that need for segments of our population in specific terms. However, the ABODE study did not measure the full scope of the problem or recommend the steps to resolve it Fortunately, the County Commissioners, .with the support of municipal leaders of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, are now taking steps to identify the scope of the needs, the barriers to fulfilling those needs, and the strategies to overcome those barriers. Hopefully, this will lead to the development of a long range (10 year) plan to meet the need. It seems inevitable that in the course of upcoming studies and planning activity the good work that has been performed by a number of agencies, both voluntary and governmental, in recent years to meet some of the affordable housing needs will be fully recognized and those agencies will be uxged to continue and expand their activities« It also seems inevitable that the studies will reveal a need which cannot be met by relatively small incremental steps but will require an additional thrust from a coordinated community-wide effort. Tn starting out to address this complex issue I strongly urge the Commissioners and municipal officials to ask UNC-CH to join their coalition in sponsoring the study of need and in developing the long range plan. My thinking in this regard is- essentially this: the University is by far the. largest employer in the County with a work force of over 10,000. Many of its own personnel have a serious need for affordable housing, e.g. housekeepers, nurses, technicians, administrative support personnel, instructors, a~ Assistant professors and more. Also, about 16,000 of its students live off-campus with many of these occupying facilities in the community that once housed community and UNC service personnel. At the same time, UNC has considerable faculty expertise to help carry out community studies and develop a long range plan in an exemplary fashion. These faculty members are located for example, in the Center of Urban and Regional Studies, in the new Center for Public Service, in the Institute of Government, in the Schools of Social Work and Public Health and beyond. There are also experienced planners in the UNC administrative ranks who might work very constructively with counterparts in County and City Government. Beyond all this, but, Gust as important, the University has considerable potential to ..provide some land and some money (following the lead of Duke and Harvard) to address our own growing need for affordable housing in Orange County. During a recent conference in his. office, UNC Provost Dick Richardson commented that the University frequently had not been very active in community affairs in the past because of other priorities; however he recognized that the University has a special need itself to address this problem of affordable housing. Y was impressed that Dr. Richardson has, himself, been quite active in community affairs and that it was he who obtained a recent gift of $1,000,000 to activate the new UNC Center for Public Service. We should all welcome .the University's full-fledged involvement in addressing the County's affordable housing situation. Fu11 involvement in the study of need and in the development of the long range plan of action should lead to its active participation in the implementation of the plan. And, among other things; dawn the line when applications are made to Foundations, Governmental Agencies and selected corporate bodies for financial support, the University's signature on those applications would be a major asset. Z think County and City authorities would find that. Dr. Richardson would be a goad entry point in seeking to gain UNC's participation as a full partner in addressing the Orange County Affordable Housing situation. A11 the citizens of Orange County should be very appreciative of the current initiative of the County Commissioners and key Municipal. Officials in addressing the Affordable Housing issue. This could lead to a better life for hundreds of our most worthy low income citizens and a better community for all of us. Sincerely yours, Henry T. Clark, Jr., M.D. a The Chapel Dill ~e~ Sunday, March 1.2, 200 Affordable housing: A test of leadership Several years ago, affordable housing advocates sought the support of the Chapel Hill business community for a bond issue to subsidize housing costs for people who can't afford to live in Orange County. The response of one prominent business leader was memorable: Why should I pay higher taxes so someone else can afford to buy a house? . The comment unfortunately represented the sentiment of too many folic in this community, and the result was that the band issue went nowhere. Sensing no political support, the Orange County commissioners did not consider a referendum. Since then, of course, the housing situation in Chapel Hill and Carrboro has only gotten worse. Housing prices have skyrocketed, and fewer and fewer people can afford to live here. In Orange County, a family of four making 60 percent of the median income can afford only d percent of the homes sold in the county. The problem is not just one of economics, but of community and quality of life. People who dewy the changing character of Chapel Hill may talk about chain stores on Franklin Street ar of cul{ie-sac proliferation along Airport Road. But the real change is in the character of the community, as the population morphs from workers, artisans and university faculty and staff to professionals and retirees. Of the 10,000 people who work at the university, 4b percent do nvt live in Orange County. Shrinking diversity affects the community's soul; homogeneity breeds blandness. All this will be the backdrop Monday as the Orange County commissioners meet with officials of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough to address the need to do something about affordable housing. The immediate issue is a proposal to create a housing trust fund that would be funded from a penny of the county's property tax rate. As letters to the editor to this page in recent weeks reflect, there is increasing pressure on the commissioners to provide such a dedicat~,_;x~~.~;~~::-g~ ~,,.,,:;~::• ~":. ~ : ; . So far, the commissioners have,resisted the pressure, saying thew are toa~many competing needs for couniy~services to~ carve out a slice of the tax pie for one specific area. But the commissioners have indicated interest in taking a broad look at the housutg need, and we hope Monday's meeting will launch a significant housing initiative that will involve both the comrunity and the university. As a template for action, the county and local governments might use an ambitious proposal by long-time housing champion Henry Clark, retired vice chancellor for health affairs at UNC. Clark calls for along- range plan to be created by a task force of community and university leaders that ultimately could lead to a substantial fund #or housing. He envisions a $30-million fund, to come from a $10 million county bond issue, $10 million in fund-raising through the unuversity and $10 million in local private fund-raising. Clark and his wife themselves have offered to contribute $300,000. "While aU this may appear to be an impassible dream;' Clark says, "it is probably primarily a test of the capacity of local leadership to join forces in addressing a major community-wide problem that is of concern to each." Maybe a dream,, certaix~iy ambitious. We hope the commissioners azid town leaders, when they come together Monday, dare to think as big about a problem that we can no longer wish away and that cannot be solved with incremental steps. Why should taxpayers subsidize the cost of someone else's home? We already do, through federal tax breaks on mortgage loans and property tax payments. But that subsidy is for the rich and middle class. 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