Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Halifax supervisors waive building-permit fees for Southside Outreach Group's 12 self-help homes
Summary
The board approved waiving building-permit fees for a 12-home USDA-funded self-help program led by Southside Outreach Group; staff estimated permits would total roughly $304 each (under $5,000 overall).
The Halifax County Board of Supervisors voted to waive building-permit fees for 12 single-family homes proposed by Southside Outreach Group, a local nonprofit that develops housing for low- and moderate-income families.
Earl Howard, representing Southside Outreach Group, explained the organization's prior projects (a 22-home subdivision, an apartment rehab and a 32-unit duplex project) and requested the fee waiver to reduce barriers for participants in a USDA Rural Development self-help housing program. "By waiving building permit fees on these 12 single family houses," Howard said, "these self help homes would greatly support our effort by reducing financial barriers for participant families."
County staff described the permitting fee calculation: roughly 15 cents per square foot for structural plus trade fees of $45 per trade, which staff estimated to be about $304 per home for a roughly 1,100-square-foot dwelling. The board moved, seconded and approved the fee waiver by voice vote.
The waiver reduces upfront costs for participating families and is intended to support the self-help model, in which eligible households contribute sweat equity hours during construction. The board did not designate a funding replacement for the waived fees; staff indicated the total foregone fee revenue would be under $5,000.
