Minutes 04-14-2026-Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 an issue like housing. She said Durham Tech's workforce and education programs are core for the community. She asked about other types of community wide classes the college could offer, like Commissioner Portie-Ascott suggested, around credit and financial literacy. She said that would be an extension of the college's work in education and getting people ready for the work force. JB Buxton appreciated Chair Hamilton's comments. Vice-Chair Fowler asked if Durham Tech markets courses to schools. JB Buxton said there is a college liaison that works with every school. He said in Durham they have an applied credentials program for programs in 911 and criminal justice. He said they haven't done as much in Orange County for applied credentials. Vice-Chair Fowler expressed appreciation for Durham Tech's education and teaching programs. JB Buxton said they need partners to help them market these opportunities to students. 2. Discussion on 2026 Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program The Board discussed potential program changes for the 2026 cycle of the Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) program, which assists low-income Orange County homeowners with a discount or rebate on their property tax bill. BACKGROUND: The LHA program has completed its 5th year of assistance for Orange County homeowners. In its first year the program assisted 91 households with the difference between their 2020 and 2021 tax bills,for a total of$16,364 allocated by Orange County.This past year,the program assisted 806 households with a formula-calculated amount based on over $500,000 in funding from Orange County, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Over time,the program has not only grown but also changed in its emphasis,consistently looking for ways to tweak the funding formula so that the most vulnerable households are prioritized. Staff recommends the Board further refine the program policy to ensure that limited resources get to the households who most need it. To that end, staff is recommending that the Board discuss and consider raising the eligibility threshold of the program from five (5) years of homeownership to ten (10) years, with exceptions allowed for family transfers (which would be automatically granted eligibility regardless of period owning the home as long as the new family member demonstrates income eligibility).. This policy change, if it had been in effect, would have impacted 137 households in the 2025 cycle, lowering the amount of assisted households from 806 to 669,and would have allowed the program to distribute almost$62,000 more dollars to households that bought their homes prior to 2016. It should also be noted that Commissioner Earl McKee suggested at the Board's April 7, 2026 Business meeting that the Board consider a "hold harmless" provision for Orange County taxes on properties owned by residents aged 70 or older who have been in their homes for at least 20 years and earn less than 30% area median income (AMI). Based on the 2025 LHA recipients, this would impact approximately 100 households. This change could be accomplished by ensuring that these households are awarded enough LHA assistance each year to equal the total amount paid in the prior year (totalling tax paid minus LHA received), in perpetuity. Staff would have to identify new households that meet these criteria for each successive year, and establish a baseline tax payment for each of those households. It is difficult to estimate how many more households would become eligible for this status in coming years, as there will be attrition in addition to new homeowners that "age in"to the status.