Orange County NC Website
5 <br />Forms aad terms of assistance under SFRl 1. Orange County will provide-assistance to tho-se <br />households selected -in the form of a 0% interest, forgivable loan coverng the hard costs <br />associated with the rehabilitation of the home. The loan will be forgiven at $3,000 per year. <br />As long as the borrower lives in the homer no payments on the loan will be required. If the <br />recipient prefers, the loan can be paid off at any time, either in instalhnents or as a lump some <br />payment. Furthermore, no payment will be required- as long as the house continues to be both <br />owned and occupied by the household whose income is less than 80% of the area median <br />income. That -means a buyer who may wish to buy the property to live in, may upon Agency <br />approval, "assume" the Loan, and make no payments, so long as they can document that they are <br />income-eligible. Should an heir inherit the property -and -choose to live in the house as their <br />permanent residence, they may do so without having to pay off the lien, -however, the Lien <br />remains on the- property. <br />Orange County will -offer, subject to NCHFA approval and homeowner acceptance, the <br />possibility of having access to the Duke Power Loan Pool to finance certain energy related costs <br />if the lowest bid exceeds the cost limits of the _SFR Program. This will be on a case by case <br />basis. <br />What kinds of work will be done? Each house selected for_ assistance must be rehabilitated to <br />meet all SFR Rehabilitation Standards. This means every house must, upon-completion of-the <br />-e13ab311tat10n: <br />• Meet the US Department of Housing and- Urban Development ("HUD") Section 8 <br />Housing Quality .Standards including applicable Lead-Based Paint regulations 27 CFR <br />part 35, and Orange County's 1Vlinimum Housing Code. (These are so-called <br />"habitability standards" which set minimum standards for decent, safe and sanitary living <br />conditions.) <br />• Meet or exceed NCHFA Energy Efficiency Standards. (These are standards designed to <br />save energy and save you money on your monthly utility bills. They also result in <br />healthier and more comfortable homes.) <br />• Meet or exceed SRF "Written Rehabilitation Standards" (These standards are designed to <br />ensure greater durability) <br />• Retain- no "imminent threats" to the occupants of the home or to the home's "structural <br />int-egrity". (An example of an imminent threat to occupants as- well as to the home's <br />structural integrity is a crawlspace that is too damp. In time the dampness may provide <br />an invitation for the growth of mold and mildew as well as promote damage to the <br />framing from termites and fungi.) <br />These requirements are spelled out in full in Orange County's SFRl l Administrator's Manual <br />which you may view, at reasonable times, upon request, at the County's office or at the North <br />Carolina Housing Finance Agency's website www.nchfa.com under forms and documents <br />SFRl 1. <br />In addition to the above items that must be done to satisfy NCHFA requirements, the scope of <br />work may also include certain items meant to enhance or protect neighborhood and unit property <br />4 <br />