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Orem council signs three-year HOME interlocal agreement; members ask about down-payment assistance
Summary
Heather presented the Utah Valley HOME Consortium interlocal agreement, required every three years for cities to qualify for HUD HOME funds; the council approved placing the agreement on the consent agenda.
Heather, an Orem staff member, briefed the council on the Utah Valley HOME Consortium and the interlocal agreement the city must renew every three years to remain eligible for HUD HOME funding.
Heather said the HOME program (administered by HUD) targets housing-specific needs for low-income residents, distinct from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which covers a broader set of low-income services. She identified current consortium participants as Provo, Orem, Lehi, Eagle Mountain and Utah County and said the interlocal agreement is required so the consortium qualifies for HUD’s minimum funding threshold.
Why it matters: Participation in the consortium is necessary for the cities to access HOME funds that support housing activities such as homeless services, domestic-violence shelter beds and home-repair or housing-production programs. Heather said Provo administers the consortium and has specialists who handle the complex federal rules, making it administratively feasible for smaller cities to participate.
Council discussion: Council members asked whether the consortium discusses owner-occupied initiatives such as down-payment assistance versus focusing on emergency housing needs. Heather said recent consortium action prioritized domestic-violence shelter expansion and homeless services and that individual projects vary; she identified a past workshop that included a developer-contributed model for affordable home construction where homeowners contributed labor. She recommended staff contact Melissa McNelly in Provo to explore down-payment assistance or similar owner-occupied programs and to “bring some of that to Orem.”
Action and outcome: The interlocal agreement was placed on the consent agenda and approved as part of the consent items during the regular session. No separate public hearing or further debate was recorded on the council floor.
Ending: Council members asked staff to follow up with Provo administration and the consortium to explore whether HOME-funded down-payment assistance or other owner-occupied initiatives could be pursued or expanded for Orem residents.
