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Nashville holds public hearing to pursue up to $950,000 CDBG-NR grant for owner-occupied housing
Summary
At a July 16 Nashville Town Council meeting, councilors held a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant—Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) application that would ask for up to $950,000 to rehabilitate or reconstruct low-income owner-occupied homes; the council voted to proceed with the application.
Nashville held a public hearing July 16 to notify residents the town is pursuing a Community Development Block Grant—Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) application that could request up to $950,000 to repair or rebuild low-income, owner-occupied homes. Ben Jones, who led the hearing, said the town has already begun income surveys and needs about seven completed surveys to submit a competitive application.
The CDBG-NR program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered in North Carolina by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “This grant has a maximum, ask amount of $950,000 for us to work on low income housing in the town of Nashville,” Jones said during the hearing.
Councilors and staff discussed outreach and the application timeline: Jones said applications are due Oct. 29 and that he had completed three surveys during a recent visit and expected to return to complete additional surveys. He explained the surveys document household composition, income and the physical condition of each house, with photos attached to the application.
Jones described the typical scope of CDBG-NR projects in this program as substantial rehabilitation or reconstruction. “We may spend upwards of a 160, a 170, you know, depending on how big the house is, dollars 200,000 on 1 house,” Jones said, adding the program often funds four to five houses per award and applicants usually include two to three alternates to replace those that drop out.
Council members asked about tenant-occupied homes and landlord responsibilities. Jones and staff noted tenant-occupied units are generally ineligible for owner-occupancy programs; staff recommended tracking substandard rental properties separately to pursue other enforcement or assistance avenues.
After the hearing, the council voted to move forward with the application. A motion to proceed passed with an affirmative voice vote.
If funded, the town would include detailed survey documentation and photographs in the application package and—if awarded—would follow program rules administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and HUD regarding eligible activities, environmental review and contracting.
Council members and staff encouraged town employees and residents to notify staff of additional candidate homes that may qualify for the program so they can be surveyed before the application deadline.
