Buncombe County and the Land of Sky Regional Council are teaming up to seek funding for affordable housing.
County commissioners took an important preliminary step on Thursday (March 7), when they held a first public hearing and approved creation of a Recovery Housing Program (RHP) Citizen Participation Plan. It is a necessary step for the county to be eligible for funding from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, which is expected to announce grants up to $1 million on May 8.
According to a release from a commission spokesperson, “One of the major goals of the grant is to help provide stable housing to people recovering from substance use disorder and helping support those seeking self-sufficiency through stable housing.”
Such grants can be used for a variety of purposes, including acquisition of property; payment of rent, utilities and repairs; construction of single-family, multi-family and public housing; public facilities and improvements; or clearance and demolition.
If Buncombe County is awarded the grant, it would be administered by the Land of Sky Regional Council. But first, the commissioners must finalize the Citizen Participation Plan during a scheduled meeting April 2. They’re hoping to meet an April 12 application deadline.
To read more about the plan, see: https://www.buncombecounty.org/common/Commissioners/20240307/Recovery%20Housing%20Program%20ppt%202.pdf