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Martin County explores joining five-county HOME Consortium to pursue federal affordable-housing funds
Summary
ECU and county staff laid out a plan for a five-county HOME Consortium that could generate roughly $657,000 annually and require a first-year make-up of near $93,000 to reach the $750,000 entitlement; commissioners were asked whether to invite towns to participate and how to split match and revenues.
County Manager James Bennett and Merrill Flood of East Carolina University presented a proposal for Martin County to join a multi-county HOME Consortium with Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northampton counties to pursue HOME Program funding administered by HUD through the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Flood explained the consortium would likely be categorized as a Non-Urban County Area and that preliminary formula work produced a first-year estimated allocation of approximately $657,000. To receive the full $750,000 entitlement for participating jurisdictions, the consortium would need to make up the difference in year one — roughly $93,000 — divided among the participating counties. Flood recommended the counties secure an experienced grant administrator, choose a lead entity to manage the program, and finalize whether incorporated towns would participate to maximize the formula allocation.
The HOME funds could support production and rehabilitation of affordable housing, down-payment assistance, rental assistance and CHDO activities. Program rules discussed include a 25% non-federal match, CHDO set-asides and administrative caps.
County Manager Bennett asked commissioners whether they wished to invite incorporated towns to the consortium and whether the counties should split match and revenues equally or on a pro-rata population basis; staff requested direction ahead of the March 1, 2022 deadline for a Notice of Intent to HUD.
No formal consortium commitment was recorded at the April 14 meeting; the board received information and staff guidance on next steps.
