Public hearing held on Southwestern NC HOME Consortium’s 2025 action plan; county Q&A on local projects

Lennay Schuler, project manager of housing for the Southwestern Commission, briefed the Haywood County Board of Commissioners during a public hearing on the Consortium's 2025 annual action plan and available HOME funds. She said the Consortium was allocated $625,690.80 for 2025 and proposed to use the funds for new rental-housing construction and tenant-based rental assistance administered in-house through community partners.

"For 2025, though, the consortium has been allocated $625,690.80, and we are proposing to support new rental housing construction and tenant based rental assistance," Schuler said. Board members asked about prior Haywood projects supported by the Consortium; Schuler said the Consortium had assisted the Waynesville Housing Authority with a new roof and worked on rental assistance with Haywood Pathways, though some awards returned due to capacity issues. She also said roughly $300,000–$320,000 in disaster-relief funds are available to provide tenant-based rental assistance for disaster-affected households in Haywood County.

Schuler said rental housing awards would be distributed through an application cycle in spring 2026 and that the draft annual action plan and consolidated plan are available on the Consortium's website. The public comment period on the draft runs through the window Schuler cited at the hearing; board members encouraged local partners to engage in upcoming application cycles and to bring projects forward for consideration.