Town Releases its Annual Affordable Housing Report

The Town of Chapel Hill’s Office for Housing and Community recently released its Affordable Housing Annual Report. You can check out the report to learn more about the Town’s efforts to address affordable housing needs. It also highlights key projects from the year, like the launch of the Emergency Housing Assistance program to assist households disrupted by Covid-19. You can also see the Annual Report Presentation to Town Council for more information on the progress that was made in fiscal year 2019-2020.

The Annual Report is a tool to monitor the Town's progress towards meeting our affordable housing preservation and development targets, share the status of projects funded with Town resources, and summarize key community indicators related to housing in Orange County. If you have any questions about the report or the Town’s affordable housing efforts, contact Nate Broman-Fulks, Affordable Housing Manager, at nbfulks@townofchapelhill.org.

Now Accepting Applications to Create Affordable Housing Opportunities

The Town of Chapel Hill is accepting applications to create affordable housing opportunities in the community through noon Friday, October 2nd, 2020.

Awards will be made from the Town’s Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR), established by the Town Council in March 2015. Since its creation, the Town has supported the development of 296 units of affordable housing with funding from the AHDR. The total funding available this fiscal year in the Affordable Housing Development Reserve is $688,395.

The Town of Chapel Hill will accept applications for the following priority project areas:

• Land bank and land acquisition

• Rental subsidy and development

• Homeownership development and assistance

• Future development planning

The Town’s Housing Advisory Board will evaluate applications and present a funding recommendation to the Town Council for final approval in October 2020. There will be up to two additional funding cycles this fiscal year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021).

The application deadline is 12:00 pm Friday. To access the application and learn more, visit https://bit.ly/32zt4oy.

Town Approves $5.25 Million Affordable Housing Funding Plan to Add 278 Affordable Homes

The Chapel Hill Town Council has approved $5.25 million in funding to support the development of 278 new affordable homes in Chapel Hill.

The Chapel Hill Town Council has identified affordable housing as one of its strategic goals and is implementing a comprehensive plan to preserve and increase the availability of affordable housing. The approval of the $5.25 million funding plan is a major step in the Town’s efforts to reach its affordable housing goals.

The Town Council approved funding awards from the Town’s Affordable Housing Bond and Affordable Housing Development Reserve.  In November 2018, Chapel Hill voters approved a $10 million Affordable Housing Bond Referendum. This approval is to use the first $5 million of those funds.  Another round of Bond funding is anticipated within the next two years.

“The Town and our community partners are working hard to provide more affordable housing that meets many, diverse needs, “said Mayor Pam Hemminger.  “We are thankful for the communities’ support of the Affordable Housing Bond and the dedicated annual affordable housing monies and are excited to be using those funds to move forward on creating 278 new homes in Chapel Hill.”

The approved funding plan will support five new affordable housing development projects that anticipate adding 278 new affordable homes in Chapel Hill.  These projects will provide homeownership and rental opportunities for households with a range of incomes, including extremely low-income households.

Approved Funding Plan: 

Find out more about the Town of Chapel Hill’s affordable housing efforts at  https://www.chapelhillaffordablehousing.org/

Chapel Hill Increases Housing Assistance for Residents in Urgent Need

Residents in urgent need of rent relief may be eligible for a one-time payment of up to $2,000, following action taken by the Chapel Hill Town Council on Wednesday, May 6.

Amid the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council allocated $135,000 to assist residents struggling with unpaid rent. This vote comes on the heels of the Town recently updating its Rental and Utility Assistance Program to better serve more people facing emergency housing needs. The program provides financial assistance to secure affordable rental housing or prevent impending eviction for low income residents. 

Rental Assistance

The Town is partnering with local nonprofit agencies, Orange County, the Towns of Carrboro and Hillsborough, and the Orange County Housing Helpline to work with residents who need rental assistance.  Households, and agencies on behalf of eligible households, can apply for a one-time payment of up to $2,000 to assist with rental payments, including:

• Security deposits, utility connections and arrears

• Rental payments and arrears

• Other urgent housing-related costs in emergency situations

Rental Assistance Applications are available for residents or referring agencies.  Applications may be sent to HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov. 

Residents who may be eligible to receive rental assistance would need to be low-income, demonstrate an urgent need, and show that they do not have adequate savings to cover their current housing costs.  For more information on eligibility criteria visit the Town’s Rental and Utility Assistance Webpage.

If you or someone you know needs support securing affordable housing or emergency rental assistance, please call the Housing Helpline at 919-245-2655.

Homeownership Assistance

A portion of the funds allocated by Council action on May 6 may be used for homeownership assistance to support in the prevention of foreclosure for low to moderate income residents.  The Town is currently finalizing the details of this program.  For more information, contact Nate Broman-Fulks, Affordable Housing Manager, at nbfulks@townofchapelhill.org. 

More information about Housing Assistance for Residents in urgent need can be found at https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/housing-and-community/funding/rental-and-utility-assistance-program

Town Accepting Applications: $1.75 million Available to Create Affordable Housing Opportunities

The Town of Chapel Hill is accepting applications to create affordable housing opportunities in the community through noon Friday, May 1, 2020.

Awards will be made from the Town’s Affordable Housing Bond and Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR).  In November 2018, Chapel Hill voters expressed their overwhelming approval of an Affordable Housing Bond Referendum. $1.5 million of the Bond funds is planned to be made available to outside agencies for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Chapel Hill.  Eligible uses of the Bond funds are:

• Acquisition

• Home Repairs

• New Construction

Outside agencies may also apply to the AHDR.  There is currently $250,000 available for this application period.  Since its creation, the Town has supported the development of 294 units of affordable housing with funding from the AHDR. The total funding available this fiscal year in the Affordable Housing Development Reserve was $688,395.  Eligible uses of AHDR funds are:

• Land bank and land acquisition

• Rental subsidy and development

• Homeownership development and assistance

• Future development planning

The Town’s Housing Advisory Board will evaluate applications and their recommended funding plan will be presented to the Town Council for final approval in May 2020.  This is subject to change, based on the impact of COVID-19.  To access the funding application and learn more, visit https://bit.ly/2vDWWne.

This is the first round of Bond funds being made available.  Another round of Bond funding is anticipated within the next two years.

Your Input Requested on Local Housing and Community Development Needs

The Town of Chapel Hill is seeking input on local housing and community development needs of Chapel Hill and Orange County to help shape future plans.

These plans -- the Orange County Five-Year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and Assessment of Fair Housing -- inform how funding is allocated from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to support community development and affordable housing initiatives.  Take the survey or learn more at http://orangecountync.gov/2337/HOME-Consolidated-Plan.

There will be a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St., Chapel Hill, NC  27516, and a virtual meeting to solicit input from residents, community organizations, and local interest groups.  For additional information on these meetings, visit https://orangecountync.gov/2337/HOME-Consolidated-Plan.

Consolidated Plan Questionnaire

The Consolidated Plan Questionnaire is an important method for understanding the needs of our community residents and gathering their input on how to allocate these funds. As a bonus, one respondent will win a $100 Amazon gift card.

Consolidated Plan Questionnaire (English)

Cuestionario del Plan Consolidado (Español)

Draft Goals & Next Steps

Input into community needs and priorities will be gathered from the questionnaire and public input meetings through Feb. 26. This input, along with relevant data, will be used to develop the Consolidated Plan draft goals. Goals will be updated as more information is received and will be available for review and comment in mid-March.

For more information, contact Erika Brandt at ebrandt@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-4331.

Volunteers Needed: Help Our Neighbors Who Are Experiencing Homelessness

The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) is working on back-to-back events to help our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. OCPEH is a coalition of service providers, local governments (including the Town of Chapel Hill) and community members who work together to coordinate funding and bring best practices to the work of ending homelessness in Orange County.

A Point-in-Time count of people experiencing homelessness will be conducted on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Volunteers are needed. Sign up to help with this annual count here. Another way to help is by donating items for “Thank You” bags for people who participate in the survey. Find more information and sign up to volunteer at ocpehnc.com/point-in-time-count.

Project Connect returns on Thursday, Jan. 30! This one-day event has a new location -- the United Church of Chapel Hill at 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Many different services will be available under one roof.

Volunteer slots are available the afternoon of Jan. 29 and all day on Jan. 30 – sign up here.

Donate household goods, cleaning products, toiletry items, and clothing to be distributed at Project Connect. These items will be available at the event for people to take what they need. Please drop off donated items at the United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., between noon and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Project Connect typically serves 100-200 guests.

For more information on Project Connect, visit ocpehnc.com/projectconnect

Share the Project Connect flyer! English | Spanish

Housing & Community Development RFP for professional services

The Orange County Department of Housing and Community Development is soliciting Request for Proposals from qualified individuals and planning consulting firms to provide professional services in the preparation of the Orange County HOME Consortium’s Five Year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Specifically, this RFP is for the community engagement portion of the Plan to include the planning, coordination and execution of numerous community meetings, surveys and webinars and the qualitative data collection and analysis required to achieve full community engagement for preparation of the Plan.

The specific services requested by Orange County are detailed in the Request for Proposals. Copies also may be obtained from the Department of Housing and Community Development, 300 W. Tryon Street, 3rd Floor, Hillsborough NC 27278, during normal business hours. It is also available electronically by submitting a request to esutton@orangecountync.gov.

The deadline for submission of proposals is Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, at 4 p.m. in the Department of Housing and Community Development, 300 W. Tryon Street, 3rd Floor, P.O. Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278.

For more information or additional clarification, please contact:

Ms. Emila Sutton, Director

Orange County Department of Housing and Community Development

300 W. Tryon Street, 3rd Floor

P.O. Box 8181

Hillsborough, NC 2727

Telephone (919) 245-2490

Fax (919) 644-3056

Chapel Hill Expanding Efforts to Preserve Affordable Housing

The Chapel Hill Town Council recently reviewed and discussed a Draft Affordable Housing Preservation Strategy Framework to implement a strategic approach for preserving existing affordable housing in the Town, one of Town Council’s 2020-2022 Strategic Goals.  The Preservation Strategy is a tool to create a proactive and comprehensive approach to preserving affordable housing in town and mitigating the impact of redevelopment on low-moderate income residents.

The Town’s current preservation activities include funding homebuyer subsidy for purchasing homes and home repairs, supporting the Northside Neighborhood Initiative, and the Rental and Utility Assistance and Housing Displacement Assistance Programs, among other activities. The Town’s Preservation Framework calls for building on these strategies, scaling them, and implementing new strategies that will increase the Town’s ability to support preservation efforts. 

The three primary objectives of the Framework are to:

1.      Preserve existing affordable housing

2.      Improve or maintain quality of affordable housing, and

3.      Provide tenant protections and support for households at risk of displacement.

Many benefits come with preserving affordable housing, including: maintaining a range of housing options for residents, allowing residents to stay in their community, and retaining socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods.

Next steps for the Town are to implement Council feedback, refine and build out the Framework, then begin implementing Framework strategies in winter 2020.

Full Council meeting details, documents, and video can be viewed here.

Now Accepting Applications to Create Affordable Housing Opportunities

The Town of Chapel Hill is accepting applications to create affordable housing opportunities in the community through noon Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

Awards will be made from the Town’s Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR), established by the Town Council in March 2015. Since its creation, the Town has supported the development of 286 units of affordable housing with funding from the AHDR. The total funding available this fiscal year in the Affordable Housing Development Reserve is $688,395.

The Town of Chapel Hill will accept applications for the following priority project areas:

• Land bank and land acquisition

• Rental subsidy and development

• Homeownership development and assistance

• Future development planning

The Town’s Housing Advisory Board will evaluate applications and present a funding recommendation to the Town Council for final approval in January 2020. There will be up to one additional funding cycle this fiscal year (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020).

New this year, the Town is rolling out a streamlined application for all local affordable housing funding sources, including the AHDR. The application deadline is 12:00 pm Wednesday, December 4, 2019.  To access the application and learn more, visit http://bit.ly/2GBEtKV.