RALEIGH—Vulnerable, low-income households in need of rehabilitation and accessibility modifications, including veterans, seniors and people with disabilities, will be assisted by $4.5 million in funding from the NC Housing Finance Agency. The Agency awarded the funding last week to 37 local governments and nonprofit organizations through its Urgent Repair Program (URP), which has assisted more than 15,660 households statewide. [EDITOR: See list of awardees at end.]
URP finances emergency home repairs correcting housing conditions that threaten life or safety for North Carolina homeowners who are elderly or who have special needs and whose incomes are below 50% of the median for their area. URP also finances accessibility modifications for those facing injury or serious illness. URP assisted 741 households in 2019 with an average income of $15,272.
The return on URP investments includes significant savings on public health care costs. In fact, a 2016 cost/benefit analysis showed that $1 in URP funding could save up to $19 in Medicaid/Medicare spending. Communities also benefit: the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that home repair investments boost surrounding property values.
“Investments in home rehabilitation and accessibility modifications help keep some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens safely at home while expanding options for those with special housing needs,” said Scott Farmer, NC Housing Finance Agency executive director. “These investments help stabilize neighborhoods and contribute to favorable economic and health outcomes statewide.”
Homeowners can learn more and search for a local partner offering rehabilitation and accessibility modifications at www.nchfa.com/current-homeowners/repairing-your-home or by calling 919-877-5655.
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, a self-supporting public agency, has financed 293,320 homes and apartments since its creation in 1973.
Urgent Repair Program Award Recipients
- Catawba County
- Choanoke Area Development Association of North Carolina
- City of Burlington
- Columbus County
- Community Housing Coalition of Madison County
- Community Housing Solutions of Guilford, Inc.
- Forsyth County
- Four Square Community Action, Inc.
- Gaston County
- Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity of Durham, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills, Inc.
- City of Hickory
- City of High Point
- Hoke County
- Hope Comes Home
- The Housing Assistance Corporation
- Hyde County
- City of Kannapolis
- Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments
- City of Kinston
- Lexington Housing Community Development Corporation
- Macon County
- Moore County
- Mountain Housing Opportunities, Inc.
- Mountain Projects, Inc.
- Nash County
- Orange County
- Resources for Seniors, Inc.
- City of Rocky Mount
- Rutherford County
- Salisbury Community Development Corporation
- Sampson County
- City of Sanford
- Union-Anson County Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
- Western Piedmont Council of Governments
- Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry
