Orange County holds public hearings on five‑year HOME plan; staff recommends focusing funds on repairs and short‑term rental assistance

Orange County housing staff presented a draft 2025–2029 HOME Consolidated Plan and the 2025 Annual Action Plan during the board’s May 20 meeting, recommending that the county concentrate its expected HOME funding primarily on home preservation programs and tenant‑based rental assistance rather than on competitive awards for development and acquisition.

Housing Director Blake Rosser told the Board the consolidated plan work began in September with Central Pines Regional Council as consultant, and included five community engagement sessions and more than 130 completed surveys. He said the county’s public input showed top priorities of “home preservation, rental assistance, increasing supply of affordable housing, and providing homeless services.” Rosser added that a UNC Community Practice Lab analysis found a roughly $2,000,000 shortfall for home‑repair needs and an almost 200‑home wait list for repairs.

Why it matters: County staff and community groups said modest, predictable annual HOME allocations work best when concentrated on repairs and short‑term rental subsidies because the local HOME award — roughly $400,000 a year for the Orange County consortium — is too small to move large development projects and the federal rules add administrative burdens to development awards. Rosser said splitting the award about half for repair/rehab and half for tenant‑based rental assistance would…