Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br /> HOUSING DEPARTMENT <br /> $5,000 per year. For example, if the amount of the loan is $21,452,then the term is five (5)years: <br /> $20,000 forgiven over the first four(4)years and $452 forgiven at the end of the 5th year.The maximum <br /> term of the loan will be six (6)years. <br /> As long as the borrower lives in the home, no payments on the loan will be required. If the recipient <br /> prefers,the loan can be paid off at any time to NCHFA, either in installments or as a lump sum payment. <br /> Furthermore, under certain circumstances NCHFA may allow assumption or refinancing of the loan. <br /> Should an heir inherit the property and choose to live in the house as their permanent residence,they <br /> may assume the loan without being income eligible. However, the lien remains on the property. A buyer <br /> who may wish to buy the property to live in may assume the loan so long as they can document that <br /> they are income-eligible(80%AMI). Default can occur if the property is sold or transferred to another <br /> person and/or if the borrower fails to use the home as a principal residence,without prior written <br /> approval of NCHFA. <br /> The grant:To pay for soft costs including application outreach/intake/management, environmental <br /> reviews/inspections/testing and project assessment/documentation/estimating/bidding, NCHFA will <br /> create a Grant Agreement not to exceed $10,000.The grant has no repayment or recovery terms. <br /> What kinds of work will be done? <br /> Each house selected for assistance must be rehabilitated to meet ESFRLP Rehabilitation Criteria.That <br /> means every house must, upon completion of the rehabilitation: <br /> • Meet the more stringent requirements of either NCHFA's Essential Property Standard or Orange <br /> County's Minimum Housing Code.These are so-called "habitability standards"that set minimum <br /> standards for decent, safe and sanitary living conditions. Additionally,the home must meet <br /> applicable Lead Based Paint regulations 24 CFR Part 35. <br /> • Retain no "imminent threats" to the health and safety of the home's occupants or to the home's <br /> "structural integrity".An example of an imminent threat to occupants as well as to the home's <br /> structural integrity is an infestation of insects or a crawlspace that is too damp. <br /> These requirements are spelled out in full in the ESFRLP Administrator's Manual which you may view, at <br /> reasonable times, upon request, at the Housing and Community Development office of Orange County <br /> or anytime online at www.nchfa.com <br /> In addition to the above items that must be done to satisfy NCHFA requirements,the scope of work may <br /> include approved items meant to reduce future maintenance and operational costs or to further protect <br /> homes from natural disasters and/or home modifications designed to enable greater accessibility for <br /> household members to function more independently as they age. <br /> Once the rehabilitation is complete, major systems in the home that,with reasonable maintenance and <br /> normal use, should be capable of lasting another five (5)years include: structural support, roofing, <br /> cladding and weatherproofing, plumbing, electrical and heating/cooling systems. <br /> Of course, contractors performing work funded under ESFRLP are responsible for meeting all local <br /> requirements for permits and inspections. All work done under the program must be performed to <br /> meet NC State Residential Building Code standards.This does not mean, however,that the whole house <br /> must be brought up to current Building Code Standards. Upon the date of approval by Orange County of <br /> the contractor's request for final payment, a one-year warranty on all products and workmanship will <br /> begin. <br />