Orange County NC Website
12 <br /> Roll call ensued <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program <br /> The Board considered approving the implementation of the proposed program design <br /> for the Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> At its June 15, 2021 Business meeting, the Board of Commissioners allocated $250,000 in <br /> American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a new program to assist households affected by <br /> revaluation of property tax bills. The program will serve Orange County homeowners earning <br /> below 80% of the area median income who have lived in their home for at least 10 years and <br /> experienced an increase in their property taxes during the 2021 tax revaluation. <br /> Staff from the Orange County Housing and Community Development Department (OCHCD), <br /> Tax Department, and Finance and Administrative Services Department met over the summer to <br /> coordinate, design and begin implementing the proposed program. Staff created a draft <br /> program application (Attachment 1), a proposed plan for reviewing and approving applications <br /> and outlining each department's role in process (Attachment 2), and a proposed <br /> communications and outreach strategy to share information about the program with county <br /> residents (Attachment 3). <br /> Housing and Community Development Department staff will be primarily responsible for <br /> administering the LHA program — collecting applications and supporting documentation from <br /> applicants, and verifying program eligibility for each applicant. The Orange County Housing <br /> Helpline will play a key role in assisting county residents with completing applications and <br /> gathering documentation. The Tax Department will provide some of the eligibility verification <br /> details to Housing and Community Development Department staff during application review. <br /> Once an application is approved for assistance, Housing and Community Development <br /> Department staff will coordinate with the Finance and Administrative Services Department and <br /> Tax Department to issue a credit towards the taxpayer's property tax bill. The program has a <br /> proposed launch date of October 1, 2021. All applications must be received by 5:OOpm on <br /> December 15, 2021 to allow time for processing. <br /> This item was tabled until the October 5, 2021 Business Meeting. <br /> b. Eno Economic Development District— Potential Comprehensive Plan Future Land <br /> Use Map and Zoning Atlas Amendments <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> Planning staff has been asked to bring forward for Board of County Commissioners' review and <br /> discussion potential Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and Zoning Atlas amendments <br /> in the Eno Economic Development District (EDD) (see maps in Attachment 1 for location and <br /> current designations). <br />