Orange County NC Website
17. Does your project accelerate <br /> or expand on existing <br /> programs that already show <br /> positive impact? <br /> The Jackson Center and St. Joseph's CME Church has long supported <br /> and empowered members of the Northside Neighborhood. The <br /> installation of rooftop solar will supplement the achievements of the <br /> community and further alleviate the overwhelming financial burdens <br /> faced by those in the area. To retain residents and preserve the <br /> historical significance of the Northside Neighborhood, the Jackson <br /> Center and St. Joseph's CME Church have worked to mitigate <br /> residential property taxes and offered affordable and long lasting home <br /> repairs. Firstly, the Center offers small grants to offset the rise in taxes <br /> spurred by local commercial development. The groups have also <br /> lobbied Orange County to offer property tax support. Secondly, the <br /> Jackson Center and Church have launched a home repair program that <br /> helps elderly neighbors stay safe and rooted in their communities by <br /> providing quality home rehabilitation by local contractors and <br /> committed community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, <br /> Rebuilding Together, and Self-Help. The program not only benefits <br /> homeowners looking for reliable home repair options, but also <br /> supports the local economy as contractors find new jobs and expand <br /> their community network. <br /> Both the home repair and property tax mitigation programs revolve <br /> around the core mission of retention. Even if Northside families <br /> continue to wish to allocate their disposable income towards their <br /> community center, the money will be directly reinvested in the <br /> community where the entire community can benefit. <br /> 18. Does your project take <br /> advantage of other funding <br /> sources? <br /> To this point, SolarEquity has explored other funding avenues but has <br /> yet to secure any donations that are specifically earmarked for the St. <br /> Joseph's CME Church Solar Project. The solar installer for this project, <br /> NC Solar Now, has offered a discount of $3,744 off the project ’s final <br /> price tag. <br /> Additionally, SolarEquity has submitted several grant applications to <br /> fund the solarization of St. Joseph's CME Church. It is still unclear <br /> whether the organization will receive funding from these sources. <br /> 19. Would your proposed project <br /> help you to take advantage of <br /> funding from other sources <br /> besides this grant in the <br /> future? <br /> As the future owner of the solar system, St. Joseph's CME Church will <br /> be able to claim a tax credit worth 30% of the project ’s overall cost. It ’s <br /> also important to note that over 50 percent of the financial benefits of <br /> the electricity produced go to households in the Northside <br /> Neighborhood with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty line or <br /> below 80 percent of area median gross income. Consequently, the <br /> church is eligible to claim an additional 20% tax credit under category 4 <br /> of the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program. However, since <br /> this is a new program under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Church <br /> is not eligible to pre-register the project with the IRS until the system <br /> comes online, there is slight uncertainty surrounding the tax credits. <br /> Page 18 of 28 <br />Docusign Envelope ID: 257985C7-FC41-4937-8E64-B610C38DBA58