Ashe County to apply for CDBG neighborhood revitalization funds; commissioners approve citizen participation plan

Ashe County commissioners approved a motion to accept a citizen participation plan and proceed with an application to the North Carolina Department of Commerce for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Neighborhood Revitalization Program funding during a public hearing at the county meeting. Judson Levins of the High Country Council of Governments presented the program and solicited public input.

The program provides funds to assist low- and moderate-income residents with eligible activities such as housing rehabilitation (from urgent repairs to replacement), new construction, and public facilities projects. "The purpose of this public hearing is to give the opportunity for citizen input concerning the upcoming application submission for CDBG neighborhood revitalization funds," said Judson Levins, the High Country Council of Governments representative who briefed the board.

Levins told the board the statewide program has $12,280,000 budgeted and that the maximum award can be as much as $5,000,000 per grantee in FEMA-declared disaster areas. He said eligible homeowners must own and occupy their homes full time and have household incomes at or below 80% of the county median income — for example, $48,900 or less for a two-person household and $61,100 or less for a four-person household. Properties in the 100-year floodplain are ineligible.

Homeowner applications are being accepted now with a submission deadline of Sept. 8, 2025, Levins said. The county's full application to the Department of Commerce is due Oct. 29, 2025. Applications will be available on the Ashe County website, the High Country Council of Governments website, or in person at the Ashe County Department of Social Services office and at Generations Ash, Levins said. He provided a contact for help obtaining and submitting an application.

Levins also described program administration: he said the council of governments has expanded its capacity to assist with application preparation and grant administration and that his office could perform up to about 90% of the administrative work under negotiation with the county. When an elected official asked whether a local match would be required, Levins clarified, "There is no match required," referring to a local fiscal match for grant funds (his earlier reference to a 10% figure applied to administrative work allocation, not a funding match requirement).

A resident, Charles Stafford, asked whether the Department of Commerce's disaster recovery work would overlap with CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization funding. Levins said the programs run concurrently but are administered separately; the disaster recovery (CDBG-DR) program is targeted to hurricane-damaged structures, while the Neighborhood Revitalization grant is an annual program not specific to a single disaster. Levins cautioned that funds and contractors are administered by each program separately and that applicants cannot "double-dip" by receiving the same repair funds from both pots.

The board's staff recommended — and the commissioners approved — a motion to accept the citizen participation plan and proceed with the CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization application process. The hearing record shows the motion was made and the board voted in favor; the transcript does not provide a roll-call vote tally.

Levins closed by reminding the board and public that the application is competitive and submission does not guarantee an award. He said a second public hearing will be held after a draft of the county's application is prepared and before the county submits the application to the Department of Commerce.

For more information or assistance with an application, Levins provided contact details during the hearing.