Agenda - 09-06-2022; 8-a - Minutes

Browse Search

26 1 Community Outreach 2 Please find the community outreach plan for the 2021 Longtime Homeowner Assistance 3 program included as Attachment 1. Staff created the materials enumerated in this plan (flyer, 4 FAQ) and performed extensive outreach in communities and via the local media. In addition to 5 this completing all activities in this communication plan, Housing staff also organized and 6 staffed three in-person events to help people complete LHA applications and distributed 7 information about these events in English and Spanish-language flyers (Attachment 2). The 8 Housing Department also mailed LHA flyers to every resident of Fairview and Piney Grove 9 communities, and printed copies for every resident of Northside to receive LHA flyers along with 10 the monthly neighborhood newsletter. 11 12 Expanded community outreach is a key issue for the 2022 LHA program. Staff will include an 13 LHA program insert in the Orange County Tax Assistance Application Packet and included in 14 the real property tax bills mailed in July 2022. Staff will continue to work with community 15 organizations and networks to get the information out about the 2022 LHA program. Staff will 16 continue to have materials available in languages other than English, and to have information 17 available via a variety of channels including the media, community partners, and County 18 programs including offices and the Housing Helpline. Staff will work with program participants 19 and the groups that work with them to understand and craft and implement a plan for expanded 20 outreach. 21 22 Durham County Property Tax Relief Program 23 In 2021, Durham implemented a property tax relief program similar to LHA — there were 340 24 total number of applicants and 204 approvals. Durham expects the number of applicants will 25 increase 100% for the 2022 year based on lowering the number of years the applicant must 26 have owned and lived in the property from 10 years to 5 years. Durham will be changing its 27 program design to reflect a tiered award amount based on income. This year the award amount 28 will be 50% of the tax amount of the last tax bill available not to exceed: 29 • $1,000 for 61-80% AMI 30 • $1,250 for 31-60% AMI 31 • $1,500 for 30% AMI and below 32 Durham County implemented a communication plan for its program that targeted faith-based 33 organizations, used presentations at local agencies, traditional media and social media, along 34 with a program insert in tax bills. Durham County plans to change the insert this year to inform 35 homeowners that the County can reimburse funds if homeowners have already paid their tax bill 36 when the award is approved. There is not a plan for prioritizing the awards, and it will be 37 provided on a first come first served system. In addition, staff plans to communicate with the 38 Durham County Board of Commissioners if additional funding is needed to cover all applications 39 received. 40 41 Prioritizing Awards 42 At the May 24th meeting, the Board of Commissioners asked staff to present options for 43 prioritizing LHA applications based on need, should prioritization be needed because 44 application awards exceed available funding. First-come, first-served prioritizations favor people 45 with lower service needs, and therefore are not recommended. Staff recommends using the 46 following factors (in combination or alone) to determine need: 47 • Tax burden — percentage of total tax bill divided by household income; higher 48 percentages to be prioritized over lower percentages 49 o Staff recommend using tax burden as the highest prioritization factor 50 • Age — older homeowners prioritized over younger homeowners 51 o Staff recommend using age as the second highest prioritization factor