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Buncombe County reports 821 homeowner grant applications, approves 569 and spends $170,700 this cycle
Summary
County staff summarized the annual homeowner grant program: 821 applications received, 569 approved, $170,700 spent by the county on approved grants; staff explained common denial reasons, outreach practices and policy questions about exclusions for state tax-exemption beneficiaries.
County staff reported the homeowner grant program closed for the year with 821 total applications received across Buncombe County (including participating municipalities), 569 approved applications and $170,700 spent by Buncombe County for approved grants this cycle.
Staff explained program mechanics and eligibility. The application is county-managed and integrates municipal participation (for example, Asheville and Woodfin have participated in prior years). Staff said the program uses an income-based, social-services screening approach and noted the number-one reason for denial in this cycle was duplicate or multiple applications (105 denials). Other common denial reasons included failure to supply required documentation and exclusions because applicants already receive a state property tax exemption for elderly/disabled status. Staff noted only 23 applicants were denied for being over the income threshold and that administrators aim to improve demographic reporting by updating the online application next year.
Commissioners asked about outreach and whether prior recipients are contacted; staff said they send notifications through established channels (tax office and community partners) and that a direct reapplication or recertification program had not been implemented because of program recertification requirements. Commissioners also asked whether the elderly/disabled exemption exclusion could be removed; staff said the program was designed as a social-services income program and committed to review the policy and report back with the legal and programmatic rationale.
Staff said administrative dollars covered program operations this year and that no additional county service dollars were requested. The county budgeted $155,000 for service dollars and the City of Asheville budgeted $75,000 to support the program in the municipal participation model.
Ending: Staff will follow up on policy questions about the elderly/disabled tax-exemption exclusion, consider outreach options to past recipients, and include application and demographic improvements in next year’s program design.
