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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: December 9, 2025 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-a <br /> SUBJECT: Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program — Potential Addition of Funds <br /> DEPARTMENT: Housing <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Blake Rosser, Housing Director, 919- <br /> 245-2490 <br /> Aaron Cohen, Community Development <br /> Manager, 919-245-2490 <br /> PURPOSE: To receive an update on application numbers and percent tax relief for the calendar <br /> year 2025 Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) program, which assists low-income Orange <br /> County homeowners with a discount or rebate on their property tax bill; and consider a potential <br /> increase in funding for the current year LHA program. <br /> BACKGROUND: The LHA Program was initiated in 2022 to assist longtime Orange County <br /> residents with assistance for potentially burdensome property tax bills. Since then, the program <br /> has expanded with annual contributions from both Chapel Hill and, newly this year, Carrboro. <br /> In 2025, the Orange County property tax revaluation raised property values significantly for many <br /> Orange County residents, and the anticipated increase in LHA applications and approvals has <br /> manifested, with nearly 60% more applications submitted than 2024, and approximately 70% <br /> more approvals. In the table below, the "eligible" row is still an estimate, as staff have yet to <br /> complete final processing of all applications: <br /> LHA Applications Submitted <br /> 2024 2025 <br /> Number Percentage Number Percentage <br /> Eligible <br /> Applications 502 83% 850* 90% <br /> Ineligible <br /> Applications 102 17% 92 10% <br /> TOTAL 604 942 <br />