Progress Update! Orange County's Manager, Travis Myren, is already moving forward on our proposal for an initiative to identify property and funding for reentry/low-barrier housing (emergency shelter, bridge housing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing). Read the full Memorandum, presented at the Dec. 2 Board of County Commissioners meeting, here.

Report-out from the Countywide Assembly

At the Countywide Assembly Nov. 18, over 100 leaders moved us into position to create change for affordable housing and to confirm clear wins for healthcare access, at last Monday's Countywide Assembly.

Photo and video album available here (Please add your own photos and videos!)

Full Zoom recording available here

Justice United leaders secured commitments from County Commissioners and Alliance Health* to move forward together on affordable housing priorities for home repairs and reentry and permanent supportive housing. 

*Alliance Health is the company responsible for distributing many of Orange County's public behavioral health funds -- including for reentry and permanent supportive housing.

Invitations for Orange County Commissioners

Home Repairs/Preservation: Will you work with us to identify flexible funds for home preservation, for the $2 million needed to clear the home repairs waitlist, and a sustainable source of flexible funds? The timeline for identifying the funds can be flexible.

Reentry Housing:
1) Will you form a focused Task Force, administered by the County Manager’s Office, in the first quarter of 2025, to address low-barrier (reentry bridge, transitional, and permanent supportive) housing needs and opportunities?
2) Will you simultaneously support an active search in 2025, even as the Task Force is forming, for viable properties and potential funds for low-barrier housing?

  • Chair Jamezetta Bedford and Commissioner Amy Fowler attended to express their commitment to our proposals.
  • Commissioners Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie-Ascott sent written statements of support to be read aloud.

Invitations for Alliance Health:

1) Will you join and actively participate in this focused Task Force for low-barrier housing?
2) Will you simultaneously support an active search in 2025, even as the Task Force is forming, for viable properties and potential funds for low-barrier housing?

Senior Director of Government Relations, Sandhya Gopal, answered YES on behalf of Senior Vice President of Community Health and Well-being, Ann Oshel.

Celebrations!

We celebrated clear wins on three of our Healthcare priorities:

1) Expanding mental health access to underrepresented groups: Behavioral health and primary care clinic Across the Life Span, founded by Lattisville Grove's Tanillya Partridge with leadership from Rev. Dr. George Crews, III, will launch a Community Health Worker mental health program. Read more about Across the Life Span here.

Justice United Latino leaders originally organized to secure funds from Alliance to bring this program to Orange County, via bilingual clinic El Futuro. The program has proved so successful that the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services has lifted it up as a model to be replicated across the state. Across the Life Span applied for the state funds, via the program creators Strong Minds/Mentes Fuertes, and was chosen as one of the new sites! The program can expand mental health services to residents of all races and ethnicities, including those making low incomes in rural northern Orange.

2) Commitment from UNC Health Financial Assistance Director Jennifer Headen to partner with Justice United leaders to remove barriers to accessing financial assistance.

For many who are uninsured and underinsured, financial assistance is the only option for accessing healthcare -- but the barriers to apply and receive the assistance can be challenging. The UNC Health Financial Assistance office already held one community session with Q&A and 1-1 application support -- with 9 UNC staff and over 50 Justice United leaders! The Financial Assistance team has also revised the application with Justice United leaders' feedback. Director Headen committed to continue this partnership to work with our leaders.

3) Commitment from Lindsey Shewmaker, Director of Orange County Social Services, to partner with Justice United groups for in-person Medicaid info and enrollment sessions in Northern Orange.

Lee's Chapel already hosted one successful session! We are committed to ensuring equal access to critical resources for Northern Orange residents.