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2023-05-03 Minutes1 NEW HANOVER COUNTY-CITY OF WILMINGTON WORKFORCE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 3, 2023 | REGULAR MEETING Committee Members Present: Sarah Arthur, Liz Carbone, Tom Gale, Eric Knight, Katrina Knight, Katrina Redmon, Frank Smith, Paul Stavovy, Edwrin Sutton NHC Staff Present: Katie Burket, Rachel LaCoe, Sarah Lipkin Sularz, Jessica Loeper, Paige Lundberg, Thomas McCallister, Theo McClammy, Matthew McVey City of Wilmington Staff Present: Abie Bonevac, Chianti Johnson, Suzanne Rogers Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 3:01PM by Vice Chair Tom Gale and a quorum was established. Agenda Approval and Minutes Rev. Edwrin Sutton made a motion to approve the meeting agenda, seconded by Mr. Eric Knight and adopted unanimously. Ms. Liz Carbone made a motion to adopt the April 12, 2023 draft minutes, seconded by Mr. Knight and adopted unanimously. Public Comments None. Old Business Debrief – Annual Report and Presentation County staff provided a summary of the annual report presentations. The presentations to both the City Council and the County Commissioners were well received by the elected officials. Moving forward, the annual reports will be presented in the fall, likely in October or November, to better align with city and county fiscal years and committee member schedules. The Fall 2023 Annual Report update shall provide a short update with most current data, newly appointed committee leadership, and current RFP award selections. Update Draft Workforce Housing Services Program Criteria and Priorities for Year Two RFP County staff presented an overview of the Workforce Housing Services Program RFP criteria and priorities that were presented at the last committee meeting. The committee agreed on moving forward with these priorities at the last meeting. 2 The committee discussed the reasoning for prioritizing projects at or below 80% AMI when the group generally promotes housing options at or below 120% AMI. County staff clarified that this priority may give proposals extra consideration, but this does not limit the eligibility for submitting a proposal. The Workforce Housing Services Program will accept proposals that include housing options for residents at or below 120% AMI. The committee suggested that the RFP grading matrix also prioritize projects that are all or mostly all affordable, rather than large projects that only have a small percentage of affordable units. New Business Community Health Improvement Plan Overview Health educators Mr. Matthew McVey and Ms. Paige Lundberg from New Hanover County’s Health and Human Services (HHS) presented an overview of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). HHS continually works through a cycle of data collection and reporting, which includes Community Health Needs Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans. The 2022 Health Needs Assessment was developed based on information collected from the community and a stakeholder committee identified housing as the first of three focus areas that the county will prioritize in the next CHIP, with proposed completion by September 2023. Health educator Eugenia Johnson is leading the housing subcommittee and their role will be to develop a goal specific to housing. The Housing Subcommittee will hold their first meeting on Tuesday May 9th. WHAC members were invited to join the subcommittee and participate in those on-going discussions. All stakeholders are looking at ways to incorporate the work already being done into the goals developed for CHIP, which may include aligning with the committee’s strategic plan. Meetings are scheduled for May, June, and July to develop the plan. After the CHIP is submitted in September, there will be quarterly meetings to track progress toward the goals identified. Previous scorecards are all public data and on the NCDHHS website. Staff Updates City staff presented several updates: • The City Council approved the Sterling Reserve, a proposed low-income housing tax credit project and annexation at the May 2nd meeting. • The draft/recommended budget was also presented at the May 2nd meeting, with a Public Hearing, is scheduled for the May 16th council meeting. As of this meeting, the penny tax for housing remains in the budget. • The Public Hearing for the Annual Action Plan for CDBG/HOME funding has already occurred. Staff noted a slight decrease in HUD funding. • The city received reward documents from HUD for a new Healthy Homes project. They received $1.5 million over 3.5 years for increased staffing and emergency repairs of up to $10,000 per home. This is available for homeowners and renters. • The budget also includes the restructuring of divisions in the city government coming in the new fiscal year, including a Housing and Neighborhood Services department. 3 County staff presented updates: • The Bowen Housing Needs Assessment update is being reviewed for release in the next few weeks. • The county’s next Strategic Plan is still in the development process and is expected to be adopted in July. Announcements • Committee elections will occur in September. County staff will get confirmation from the clerk’s office about how terms of this committee work and who has run out of terms. • Mr. Gale requested that Ms. Knight be included on the June agenda to give a presentation on The Good Shepard Center’s initiatives. • The Good Shepard Center is hoping to provide rental assistance and case management to about 50 homes with one of the county’s capacity building grants. They are determining how to select those households and deciding whether to focus on long-term rental assistance, which covers back rent, or to focus on one-month assistance. • The Salvation Army is moving locations, shelter closed for the next 2-4 years. Good Shepherd has 99 adults and children sheltered, a higher number than normal, and residents are staying longer due to fewer rehousing options. • The Cape Fear Community Land Trust broke ground on a new house. • Development is occurring on the Michael Jordan Clinic at Greenfield Street, and it is scheduled to open this year. The other clinic on the east side of Wilmington will open in 2024. Adjourn Mr. Knight made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Ms. Knight. The meeting was adjourned at 4:05PM.