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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda 02-17-2026; 7-a - Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program Report for 2025 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 17, 2026 Action Agenda Item No. 7-a SUBJECT: Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program Report for 2025 DEPARTMENT: Housing ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: PowerPoint Presentation Blake Rosser, Housing Director, 919- 245-2490 Aaron Cohen, Community Development Manager, 919-245-2490 PURPOSE: To receive a report on the results of the Calendar Year 2025 Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) program, which assists low-income Orange County homeowners with a discount or rebate on their property tax bills. BACKGROUND: County staff worked with community partners on a five-month campaign to increase awareness about program eligibility and the apply process with the goal of increasing the number of program applicants from 2024. LHA campaign efforts in 2025 included: • The Tax Office included an LHA program information flyer alongside the 2025 tax bills that were mailed in August 2025. • County staff worked with community partners including the Jackson Center, Homeowners United, and Justice United to promote the LHA program. • Staff organized visits to local churches, and the Rogers Road and Cedar Grove Community Centers to complete LHA applications and distribute LHA flyers. • Staff partnered with church congregations in Orange County, including in northern Orange, to share information. • Staff emailed prior applicants to remind residents that they must apply every year to receive an award. • Staff coordinated with the Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board to host a community meeting with more than 50 residents, including opportunities to complete or submit an application in person. Similar to 2024, advertisements were not placed in area newspapers. This saved the County more than $10,000 in administrative costs and did not appear to impact the accessibility of the program. The number of applications increased from 2024 to 2025 by 58%, from 604 to 955 applicants. Staff calculated award amounts using the following guidelines: • All applicants were arranged in priority order o FIRST: Tax Burden, largest to smallest o SECOND: Length in Home, longest to shortest 2 o THIRD: Age, oldest to youngest • Staff determined a multiplying factor for the remaining $377,805 in available funding and used this to reduce all other awards by the same percentage. • All eligible homeowners received a minimum award amount of$200 or up to the full amount of the County portion of their tax bill if it was less than $200. • Award amounts were the County portion of the tax bill less 2% of the applicant's household income. Between August 1 and November 3, 2025, the County received 955 applications and awarded $509,804 (including $86,999 in Chapel Hill supplemental funding and $45,000 in Carrboro supplemental funding). The minimum award amount was $200. The average award amount for recipients was $491.97, and the median award amount was $432.70. This award amount will increase slightly in the coming weeks, as staff must still apply the $18,720 that the Board added to program funds as part of discussion in December 2025 and a budget amendment in January 2026. A second round of supplemental checks will be sent out to applicable homeowners. LHA Applications Submitted 2024 2025 Number Percentage Number Percentage Eligible Applications 502 83% 805 84% Ineligible Applications 102 17% 149 16% TOTAL 604 954 LHA Award Amounts 2024 2025 Number Percentage Number Percentage $200 129 26% 190 24% $201-$300 54 11% 84 10% $301-$500 102 20% 185 23% $501-$999 112 22% 243 30% $1,000+ 105 21% 103 13% TOTAL 502 805 The County received the highest number of LHA applications during August. 84% of all received applications were approved. The most common reasons for application denial were home value exceeding limits and income exceeding limits. Housing staff invested approximately 115 staff hours following up with residents to ensure that improperly completed applications did not result in a denial. The demographics of LHA Awardees are as follows: 3 Racial Demographics of LHA Awardees Age Demographics of LHA Awardees 2024 2025 2024 2025 Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percent Number Percent White 282 56% 455 57% <_55 86 17% 101 13% Black 101 20% 178 22% 56-60 37 7% 40 5% Asian 39 8% 96 12% 61-65 63 13% 66 8% Other 25 5% 15 2% 66-70 82 16% 103 13% Undisclosed 55 11% 61 7% 71-75 91 18% 94 12% TOTAL 502 805 76-80 69 14% 95 12% 81-85 36 7% 41 5% 86+ 38 8% 40 5% No data 0 0% 225 28% TOTAL 502 805 Note:Percentages may not add up to 100%due to rounding. For households that received both Orange County and Town of Chapel Hill funding, staff applied the calculation formula for Orange County first and determined that assistance amount. Staff then applied the same formula a second time for assistance from Chapel Hill. The award amount was then proportionally reduced based on the amount of funding that Chapel Hill provided compared to Orange County. Staff also doublechecked all of these households to ensure that no recipients received more assistance than their overall tax burden. As an example, if a household had $25,000 of income per year, had an eligible home value and met the threshold requirement for assistance, staff applied the previously approved prioritization (e.g. time in county, age of household and income level) in accordance with past practice. The household might be eligible for $1,000 of assistance for Orange County. Staff then applied the same prioritization to the example household that is Town of Chapel Hill eligible to determine a new award amount. Staff then reduced that award amount proportionally according to the total funds provided by the Town. Staff suggests the County reconsider eligibility requirements to target funds toward longer-term Orange County residents. With the eligibility threshold at five (5) years of ownership, many residents are able to receive assistance even after purchasing a home since housing prices have inflated. By lengthening the eligibility requirement to at least ten (10) years, or even setting a purchase-by date (e.g. 2015), the County could assure that limited funds are assisting the longest residing homeowners and households of least means. As noted in the following table, 137 of the 805 awardees purchased their homes since 2016, and those households received assistance totaling $27,400. If the period for ownership was lengthened, this assistance could go to longer-term homeowners who are more likely to need the assistance, as they purchased their homes when homes were more accessible to low-income households. The table below models the potential redistribution of those funds: 4 Amount of Assistance by Length of Time Owned Number of Average $27,000 spread across New Households Amount longer tenures (approx.) Average Years Owned (Percentage) Amount 5-9 (since 2015) 137 (17%) $27,400 $200 -- -- 10-14 (since 2010) 101 (12.5%) $23,825 $236 $1,800 $254 15-19 (since 2005) 79 (9.8%) $25,529 $323 $1,926 $348 20-24 (since 2000) 81 (10%) $33,132 $409 $2,504 $440 25-29 (since 1995) 102 (12.7%) $51,591 $506 $3,897 $544 30+ (before 1995) 285 (35.4%) $231,649 $813 $17,496 $874 FINANCIAL IMPACT: This report has no financial impact on the County. The LHA program had an expense of$377,804, an increase from $250,000 in 2024. The program has been renewed for four (4) consecutive years. The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have contributed up to $86,999 and $45,000 in matching assistance, bringing total possible awards to $509,804. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GOAL 3: HOUSING FOR ALL OBJECTIVE 7. Expand resources and invest in housing designed for our aging and disabled residents. • GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 4: Support the basic needs and financial security of low-income families through a robust safety net of economic supports that help build long-term financial security RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive information on the results of the 2025 Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) program, and provide any comments and questions. ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT Results of CY25 Longtime Homeowner Assistance (LHA) Program February 17, 2025 6 Program impact increased from 2024 954 applications received, 805 Awarded $5091, 804 awarded ($86,999 from Chapel Hill ) Minimum Award amount : $200 Average Award amount: $491 .97 Median : $432.70 Most common reason for denial : Home value/income exceeding limits ORANGE COUNTY � HOUSING DEPARTMENT 7 Side-by-side comparison, 2024-25 LHA Applications Submitted 2024 2025 Number Percentage Number Percentage Eligible• • - 502 83% 805 84% Ineligible• 102 17% 149 16% • 604 954 LHA Award Amounts 2024 2025 Number Percentage Number Percentage 129 26% 190 24% "112 54 11% 84 10% $301-$500 102 20% 185 23% • • 112 22% 243 30% 105 21% 103 13% • 502 805 ORANGECOUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT 8 Racial, Age pra demog hics remain similar across years 2024 2025 2024 2025 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percentage Number Percentage NEW 282 56% 455 57% 86 17% 101 13% 101 20% 178 22% • 37 7% 40 5% • 39 8% 96 12% • 63 13% 66 8% • 25 5% 15 2% • • 82 16% 103 13% Undisclosed55 11% 61 7% 91 18% 94 12% • 502 805 • : � 69 14% 95 12% 36 7% 41 5% : • 38 8% 40 5% • • • 0 0% 225 28% • 502 805 ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT For any questions: Blake Rosser • brosser@orangecountync . gov 919 - 245 -2492 ORANGE COUNTY � HOUSING DEPARTMENT