Orange County proposes HOME funding shift to home repairs and short-term rental aid after public input

Orange County housing staff presented a draft 2025–2029 HOME Consolidated Plan and the 2025 Annual Action Plan on May 20, proposing to concentrate the county’s HOME allocation principally on home repair and tenant-based rental assistance.

The presentation, delivered by Blake Rosser, Orange County housing director, said the county receives about $400,000 per year in HOME funds and proposes splitting that roughly 50/50 between repair and rehabilitation programs and tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA). “This is really the only HOME tool that we have to address homelessness,” Rosser said, describing TBRA as short-term rental assistance for households at or below 30% of area median income that can be renewed year-to-year.

The shift follows six months of community engagement: one public hearing, three stakeholder sessions and five neighborhood sessions held at Rogers, Eubanks, Eflin, Cheeks, Cedar Grove and Fairview. Rosser said UNC’s Community Practice Lab and the Home Preservation Coalition identified an estimated $2,000,000 shortfall for home preservation and nearly 200 homes on a waiting list for repairs. With the county’s annual HOME allotment, Rosser estimated roughly 20 homes could be repaired per year from the HOME repair allocation and that focusing HOME funds on these two uses could assist an estimated 30–40 households annually between repair and TBRA.

Community speakers strongly endorsed prioritizing repairs. Lynn Nelson, vice chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board, told commissioners the advisory board “supports the proposed 2025–2029 consolidated plan” and agreed that the most efficient use would be preservation via repair and TBRA. David Remington of Orange County Justice United urged prioritizing repair, saying a single new unit could cost as much as repairs for 10 existing homes. Residents from Councilville, Morris Hill and other neighborhoods described deteriorating foundations, leaky roofs and nonworking HVAC that place families and seniors at risk.

Several speakers, including Dolores Bailey, executive director of Empowerment Incorporated, supported targeting repair but asked county leaders to consider trade-offs: long-term development, homeless services and the limited scale of HOME dollars (roughly $400,000/year) mean other affordable-housing needs remain. Bailey and others also asked that the county clarify whether mobile homes and manufactured-home owners would be eligible and raised concerns about whether repair assistance is structured as grants or loans.

Rosser said the draft plan builds in HUD-required set-asides: 10% for administration and 15% for a CHDO (community housing development organization) reserve; Empowerment Incorporated is listed as a CHDO and would be eligible for that set-aside. He also said the county recently received final allocation notice from HUD that was about $9,000 more than expected; the department will update exact dollar figures in a later presentation. Rosser reiterated that the recommended approach this year is to avoid a competitive RFP process because of federal funding uncertainty and to operate repair and TBRA largely in-house, leveraging the county’s existing urgent-repair and single-family rehab programs and partnership with the Partnership to End Homelessness for rapid rehousing operations.

Commissioners expressed broad support for the targeted approach while asking staff to improve outreach and coordination. Commissioner Carter said focusing limited funds “makes the best use” of staff time. Commissioner Green (member of the housing collaborative) confirmed the collaborative strongly supported the approach for this year. Multiple commissioners asked staff to expand outreach through churches, Justice United and other community partners and to clarify program eligibility, whether repairs carry liens or deferred loans, and how applicants will be placed on waitlists. Rosser said urgent repairs are typically smaller, grant-like actions (not loans) while larger single-family rehab amounts may be delivered as 0% loans and would be specified in program rules.

Next steps: the public comment period remains open through June 9; staff will incorporate comments, present a final draft to the local government affordable housing collaborative for recommendation, then return the plan to each municipality and the county for final approval (targeted for the June 17 agenda). Rosser warned the plan’s implementation remains contingent on HUD’s final allocation notification and municipality approvals.

Ending: Commissioners and dozens of residents urged rapid rollout of effective outreach and clear eligibility rules so households with deteriorating homes, seniors and tenants at risk of homelessness can apply once the final plan is adopted.