Title
Public Hearing on PRO Housing Grant Application
Action
Action:
Conduct a public hearing regarding the City of Charlotte’s application to the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing program.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Rebecca Hefner, Housing & Neighborhood Services
Alyson Craig, Planning, Design & Development
Explanation
§ The City of Charlotte is preparing a federal grant application for the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program, a competitive grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of the grant program is to remove barriers and other obstacles to affordable housing production and preservation.
§ HUD requires grant applicants to hold a public hearing in advance of the grant submittal.
§ The city proposes applying for $10,000,000 in grant funding, the maximum award amount allowed by HUD. The grant program does not require a local match.
§ The city is working in partnership with Mecklenburg County and both private and nonprofit partners to develop the proposal.
§ Proposed grant activities have emerged from recent planning processes and City Council priorities and are designed to make affordable housing more accessible, so more units will be available across the entire city, especially in areas of opportunity. These activities include:
- A housing concierge service and dedicated review team for development projects with affordability components
- Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resale revolving fund
- Managed services for set-aside affordable units
- “Missing Middle” program to incentivize affordable and compatible “missing middle” housing - e.g., accessory dwelling units, townhomes, duplexes, and triplexes
- Cost of regulations study
- Affordable housing incentives study
§ Community engagement on the proposal includes:
- Publishing a draft copy of the grant proposal to the city’s website with paper copies available by request in English and Spanish. Residents can make comments online.
- Holding two in-person workshops scheduled for October 25 and 26, 2023, and a virtual workshop scheduled for October 26, 2023. During the workshops, staff will provide an overview of the grant proposal, answer participants' questions, and provide residents with opportunities to make comments.
§ The grant application must be submitted to HUD no later than October 30, 2023.
§ The PRO Housing grant program has a six-year period of performance, with an estimated project start date of January 31, 2024 (or after the issuance of HUD awards).