On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law by President Biden. Within this $1.9 trillion nationwide investment, $350 billion was used to create the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) to assist state, local, territorial, and tribal governments with COVID-19 recovery efforts and to help address anticipated shortfalls in revenues resulting from the economic impacts of the pandemic. Durham County would ultimately receive $62,445,275 from the overall SLFRF appropriation to help the County in its recovery from the pandemic.

When deciding how best to utilize this historic, once-in-a-lifetime federal investment in Durham County, our Board of County Commissioners made great efforts to ensure that the funds would be invested in initiatives that would help address the most significant challenges facing our community. As such, a substantial emphasis of the Board in allocating the ARPA funds was to address the myriad challenges facing the community pertaining to affordable housing and housing security. The Board allocated $13.5 million for a joint partnership with the City of Durham to develop new affordable housing units to increase the overall available stock of affordable housing, while also investing $1.5 million of the County’s SLFRF funds in efforts to expand the County’s community land trust, increasing the number of existing properties that would be permanently preserved as affordable housing. Two million dollars from the County’s ARPA allocation were allocated to expand daytime services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Durham County, helping to address the economic, physical health, and mental health impacts of the pandemic on individuals who are unsheltered.

Click here to see ARPA County-funded projects.

A key piece of the Board’s strategy to address housing concerns through the allocation of the County’s ARPA funding was the creation of a minor home repair program for senior citizens 60 years of age or older who are at or below 80% of the County’s area median income (AMI). The program, funded with $750,000 of the County’s SLFRF allocation, is intended to help address the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income senior citizens in the Durham community, correct substandard housing conditions that pose an imminent threat to life, safety, or accessibility, and, to the greatest extent possible, allow seniors living in Durham County to age in place. Overall, the program’s goal is to allow service recipients to stay in their current homes safely, while also continuing to protect the County’s current affordable housing stock.

To implement this program, the County is partnering with Central Pines Regional Council (CPRC), a local council of government in central North Carolina that primarily serves communities in the Triangle and Sandhills areas. CPRC has extensive experience managing housing grant programs, including the Essential Since-Family Rehab program in Durham, which is funded by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded program for lead abatement. Collectively, this established track record and expertise positions CPRC to effectively assist the County in addressing the urgent housing needs of eligible senior citizens in Durham County.

Since the award of funds to CPRC in August of 2024, CPRC has completed a competitive procurement process to identify a qualified contractor who will oversee the home repairs under the program, selecting Rebuilding Together of the Triangle (RTT). Under the Durham Senior Home Repair Program (SHRP), funding will be available to provide repairs for approximately 40 households, with additional homes potentially able to be included depending on funding availability. To be eligible to receive services under the SHRP the program, an individual must meet the following criteria:

• Be 60 years or older.
• Have household gross income of less than 80% of the County’s Adjusted Median Income.
• Have owned and occupied their home for at least one year.
• Not own additional residential properties.
• Be current on County taxes.
• Be able to get written approval for repairs from any co-owners of the home.

From within eligible applicants, priority for services will be based on income status (with increased priority for lower income households), emergency situations, disabled or veteran household members, referral from community partners, waitlist status for other public housing repair programs, and family size. Use of program funds will focus on completing repairs that target issues or concerns that negatively impact the health and safety of residents. While each individual participating residence will be assessed for specific needs, potential repairs and modifications under the program include roofing, gutters and downspouts, ramps, porches, railings, framing and exterior trim, grading and drainage, heating and air conditioning systems, electrical, plumbing and flooring. Because of the limited funding available and the need to serve as many residences as possible, not all needed repairs will be able to be completed at each individual home; funding for each participating residence will be focused on those items that are most necessary for health and safety. Where possible, CPRC will work to identify other programs for which participants may be eligible in order to complete remaining items.

As CPRC and RTT finalize their contract this month, CPRC will be starting the process of reaching out to community organizations for referrals, soliciting applications from residents directly, and reviewing waitlists for other programs to identify potentially eligible participants. CPRC will roll out a webpage for the Durham SHRP soon; interested residents can monitor CPRC’s housing page (www.centralpinesnc.gov/housing) for updates.

Residents who believe they meet the eligibility criteria can also contact Thomas McCallister at CPRC for further information on the program via email: tmCallister@centralpines.gov or phone: (919) 503-4133.

The County is very excited about our partnership with CPRC on this program and are confident that these funds will have a significant impact on eligible seniors in our community!

Until next time,

Claudia Hager | County Manager