Chapter Two: Geography
Chapter Four: Community ProfileUnlike private or incorporated communities, public housing developments like Trinity Court and Pritchard Park are defined by economics in a very different way. Tenants of public housing rely upon public funds from the county and state to provide housing units, utilities, and other maintenance services.
Of the 49 families currently residing in Trinity Court and Pritchard Park, 41 have a reported source of income. Sources of income include Federal Social Security (retirement, supplement, and disability), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), court ordered child support, and outside wages earned through employment. However, among those tenants with a source of income, net earnings vary greatly. Unfortunately, exact figures are not available.
A unique characteristic of public housing directly affected by the economic status of residents is its rental rate system. Residents of public housing in Orange County are charged rent based on their household income. When residents' income increases, their rent increases as well. The result of this payment system is a housing system in which tenants pay different rental rates for apartment units which are essentially the same in size and condition. The sliding scale rent system may affect non-wage earning residents' motivation to seek or retain full-time employment. Residents who are able to increase their income often leave Trinity Court and Pritchard Park to seek better housing. Others who cannot afford to consistently pay a higher rental rate may not work or may leave some sources of income unreported in order to keep their rental rates low.
The Family Resource Center (FRC) operates on funds contributed by several sources including Chapel Hill Training-Outreach, Smart Start of Orange County, the Division of Child Development, and Early Head Start. The 1998-1999 FRC budget was approved by the state government and totaled $75,832 (Service provider, personal communication, September 17, 1998). Included in this sum were salaries for FRC personnel, program supplies, and operating costs. The current core grant supporting the FRC ends on June 30, 1999.
Although Trinity Court and Pritchard Park are physically located in the center of Chapel Hill, the residents of these public housing communities are isolated from the rest of the town in important ways. The surrounding town of Chapel Hill is one of the wealthiest in the state of North Carolina. Disparities in economic status and the stigma of living in public housing communities have formed an invisible boundary of sorts, essentially separating Trinity Court and Pritchard Park from the rest of Chapel Hill. Chapter Four: Community Profile provides an in depth look into many of the issues raised in this chapter.
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Chapter Two: Geography |
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