Agenda - 11-15-2022; 12-2 - Information Item - Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program Prioritization

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2 • Producing two videos (one in English and one in Spanish) about the LHA programith Justice United and community leaders • Sending email blasts with program eligibility and application info at 1 month and 2 weeks out of application deadline (December 1) The County has received 376 applications as of October 31, 2022, all applications are due to the County by December 1, 2022. PRIORITIZATION FORMULA: After the application due date on December 1, 2022, staff will calculate award amounts using the following guidelines: • All eligible homeowners will receive a minimum award amount of$100, or up to the full amount of the County portion of their tax bill if this is less than $100 • Award amounts will be the County portion of the tax bill less 2% of the participant's household income • Total award amounts in 2022 for all participants will exceed the available program funding for 2022 of$250,000 o As of October 21, 2022, total award amounts exceed $322,000 • Staff project that there will be about 745 eligible applications submitted in 2022 o In 2021 there was a shorter application period of 8 weeks and 68% of the applications were submitted in the last 3 weeks that the application period was open, and 98% of applications were submitted after November 1. However the first application was not submitted in 2021 until October 25 because the program started later. 0 376 current applications multiplied by 1.98 for 98% more applications = 745 applications • To prioritize award amounts, staff will arrange applicants in priority order o FIRST: people with higher tax burden (total property tax bill divided by income) o SECOND: people with longer length of time in their home o THIRD: Participant age (highest age of any household member) • Staff will make full awards to as many participants as possible up to $75,000 of the $250,000 in available funding • Staff will determine a multiplying factor for the remaining $175,000 of the $250,000 in available funding and use this to reduce all other awards by the same percentage o Staff will subtract available funding from the maximum award amount, and divide the difference by the maximum award amount, this is the percentage difference between amounts needed and what is available o Staff will reduce all award amounts by the same percentage, ensuring that eligible homeowners will receive a minimum award amount of$100, or up to the full amount of the County portion of their tax bill if this is less than $100 NEXT STEPS: Staff plan to give Board members an evaluation of the 2022 Longtime Homeowner Assistance program in Spring 2023 alongside recommendations for the Board to consider for a potential 2023 LHA property tax assistance program.