AGENDA #4H(2)

 

BUDGET WORKING PAPER

 

TO:                  W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

FROM:            Tina Vaughn, Director, Department of Housing

 

SUBJECT:       Follow-up Report on Items from the March 3, 2000 Budget Work Session

 

DATE:             April 12, 2000

 

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide responses to requests received at the March 3rd budget work session.

 

Request #1  - Increase outreach efforts to the Hispanic population

 

To increase efforts to the Hispanic population, we have placed information, in Spanish and English about the public housing program at the following locations:

 

·     La Iglesia Unida de Cristo at the United Church of Christ  

·     Asamblea de Iglesias Cristianas at St. Paul AME Church      

·     The Inter-Faith Council

·     Orange County of Social Services

·     OPC Mental Health Center

 

Request #2  - Provide information on the tenure of public housing residents

 

The following chart shows the number of years heads of households age 18 and up have lived in public housing.

 

Age Group                                                            Length of  Stay (in years) 

Years               0-5       6-10     11-15   16-20   21-25   26-30   31-35   Total   

 

18-19                  6       0         0         0            0            0         0         6

20-29               66        7         2         1            0            1         0        77

30-39               56        20         11         4            0            0         1        92

40-49               24        16         13         10            2            1         0        66

50-59                 7          5          6          2           4            2         3          2

60-69                 5          5          4          2           2            6         2        26

70-79                 6          3          1          1           3            6         4        24

80-89                 0          1          0          0           3            1         0          5

90-99                 0          0          1          0           0            0         0          1


TOTAL           170      57       38        20       14            17       10     326

           

 

Note:  7 of the 336 apartments are vacant and 3 are being used as community centers.

 

Request # 3  - Provide information on the number of public housing families receiving assistance under the Work-First Program.

 

Currently, 23 public housing residents are receiving assistance under the Work First Program.

 

The Work First Program provides temporary assistance to low-income families, including financial payments, food stamps, health insurance, and support in finding and keeping a job.  Work First participants are required to get a job, paid or unpaid, within 12 weeks of receiving assistance.  Participants who are unemployed must be enrolled in a training program for at least 30 hours a week.

 

Participation in the Work First Program is limited to five years in a participant’s lifetime.

 

Request #4  - Prepare a report on the concept of the Town owning rental apartments as a way of transitioning public housing families into private housing.

 

We will present  a report in the fall at a regular Council meeting.