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Orange County staff outline HOME funding, Choosing Home program and project-based vouchers
Summary
At the Feb. 10 AHAB meeting, staff said HOME applications will be graded via an RFP in late February, described the Choosing Home program for aging homeowners, reported local contributions of $85,000 from Chapel Hill and $45,000 to Carrboro, and said staff are moving to operationalize project-based vouchers.
Aaron Rimmler-Cohen, a member of AHAB staff, told the Affordable Housing Advisory Board on Feb. 10 that HOME-funded activity is being processed across acquisition, construction, rehabilitation and tenant-based rental assistance and that the board will use an RFP to grade applications in late February.
"Choosing Home can focus on homeowners that are aging in place," Aaron said, describing a Department of Health-linked program staff expects to layer with other funding sources to assist households that may fall outside state funding eligibility. He said qualifications for HOME awards will include median income, vulnerability as identified in the five-year consolidated plan, and related criteria.
Aaron reported that recent local contributions to housing assistance included $85,000 from the Town of Chapel Hill and $45,000 to Carrboro and said the total provided across partners, including Orange County, was "a little over $500,000." The transcript does not specify how much of that total was Orange County's direct contribution.
Staff also reported work to implement project-based vouchers under the Section 8 program. Staff described project-based vouchers as an arrangement in which a unit is tied to a landlord contract with the county rather than a portable voucher held by an individual; staff said such contracts typically run for 20 years.
Why it matters: HOME funding and project-based vouchers are primary tools for creating or preserving affordable housing and for supporting aging homeowners who wish to remain in their homes. The RFP timetable and eligibility rules determine which projects and households may receive assistance.
What’s next: Staff said they will grade HOME applications via RFP in late February and continue work to operationalize project-based vouchers. The transcript does not record a final decision on specific awards or a timeline for county-specific allocations.
