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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: February 17, 2026 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 7-a <br /> SUBJECT: Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program Report for 2025 <br /> DEPARTMENT: Housing <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> PowerPoint Presentation Blake Rosser, Housing Director, 919- <br /> 245-2490 <br /> Aaron Cohen, Community Development <br /> Manager, 919-245-2490 <br /> PURPOSE: To receive a report on the results of the Calendar Year 2025 Longtime Homeowner <br /> Assistance (LHA) program, which assists low-income Orange County homeowners with a <br /> discount or rebate on their property tax bills. <br /> BACKGROUND: County staff worked with community partners on a five-month campaign to <br /> increase awareness about program eligibility and the apply process with the goal of increasing <br /> the number of program applicants from 2024. LHA campaign efforts in 2025 included: <br /> • The Tax Office included an LHA program information flyer alongside the 2025 tax bills that <br /> were mailed in August 2025. <br /> • County staff worked with community partners including the Jackson Center, Homeowners <br /> United, and Justice United to promote the LHA program. <br /> • Staff organized visits to local churches, and the Rogers Road and Cedar Grove Community <br /> Centers to complete LHA applications and distribute LHA flyers. <br /> • Staff partnered with church congregations in Orange County, including in northern Orange, <br /> to share information. <br /> • Staff emailed prior applicants to remind residents that they must apply every year to receive <br /> an award. <br /> • Staff coordinated with the Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board to host a <br /> community meeting with more than 50 residents, including opportunities to complete or <br /> submit an application in person. <br /> Similar to 2024, advertisements were not placed in area newspapers. This saved the County more <br /> than $10,000 in administrative costs and did not appear to impact the accessibility of the program. <br /> The number of applications increased from 2024 to 2025 by 58%, from 604 to 955 applicants. <br /> Staff calculated award amounts using the following guidelines: <br /> • All applicants were arranged in priority order <br /> o FIRST: Tax Burden, largest to smallest <br /> o SECOND: Length in Home, longest to shortest <br />