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County updates Affordable Housing Services Program to prioritize households displaced by Hurricane Helene
Summary
The Board approved revisions to the Affordable Housing Services Program to clarify funding maximums, reimbursement processes, loan terms and to allow projects using project-based vouchers to follow housing authority payment standards when exceeding HUD fair market rents; staff added a preference for applicants serving households permanently displaced by Hurricane Helene.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 2 to approve revisions to the Affordable Housing Services Program (AHSP) guidelines intended to clarify program rules and align the policy with the county’s storm recovery plan.
Jonathan Jones, who presented the changes, said the subcommittee recommended allowing projects that leverage project-based vouchers to adopt housing authority rent payment standards where those rents exceed HUD fair market rents; Jones said that approach is permitted by HUD. The revisions also set or clarified maximum funding levels for projects, spelled out the reimbursement process and loan terms for construction projects, removed duplicative expenditure thresholds that conflicted with county procurement policy, and added a preference for projects prioritizing Buncombe County residents permanently displaced by Hurricane Helene (including down payment assistance structured as loans for eligible households).
Commissioner Sloane moved to approve the AHSP revisions and Commissioner Ball seconded; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff said they would prepare and release the AHSP application later in the month.
The changes are intended to better define eligibility and align the AHSP with recovery priorities, especially for households displaced by the storm. Where the policy references HUD processes, staff said they followed HUD-authorized options for voucher-related rents.
