Applications open for Renew NC’s Helene recovery rental housing program

Applications are now open for the Renew NC Multi-Family Construction and Repair (MCR) Program made possible when $70 million in federal funding was released through the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s (NCDOC) Division of Community Revitalization (DCR), announcing a first round of Notice of Opportunity Funding (NOFO) to increase the availability of affordable rental housing in regions impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

“Hurricane Helene destroyed thousands of rental properties,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a press release. “Western North Carolinians need safe places to live. Through this new Renew NC program, we will build safe, affordable rental housing that will provide families with stable homes and strengthen the long-term resilience of the region. Through this new Renew NC program, we will build safe, affordable rental housing that will provide families with stable homes and strengthen the long-term resilience of the region.”

Renew NC’s MCR Program serves multi-family rental properties with five or more units, including construction, development, and rehabilitation of new rental housing stock, according to the press release. The MCR Program will fund in Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas identified by the state, as well as by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg (28214 ZIP code only), Mitchell counties.

Renew NC is North Carolina’s long-term disaster recovery program, committed to rebuilding impacted communities to make them more resilient against future storms, according to the press release. The program is administered by the NCDOC DCR and is funded by a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant from HUD. 

“Helping western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene is an appropriate use of disaster relief resources, particularly when those funds are directed toward rebuilding housing that was lost,” Kelly Lester, policy analyst for the Center for Food, Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told the Carolina Journal. “But if policymakers want these investments to have a lasting impact, they should pair them with reforms that make it easier for the private sector to build, such as those laid out in SB 445. Cutting red tape, streamlining permitting, and reducing restrictive zoning will do far more to increase housing supply than relying on government funding alone.”

Award amounts will range from $500,000 to $15 million per project. Funding may be used for a variety of eligible activities, including the new construction of multifamily rental housing, substantial rehabilitation of existing rental units, related site preparation and infrastructure improvements, and soft costs such as architectural and engineering fees, according to the press release. Projects must also comply with all applicable HUD environmental, construction, and accessibility requirements.

All projects must be linked to Hurricane Helene recovery and meet HUD and federal program requirements, according to the press release. To be considered for an award, applicants must agree to provide affordable rent for 20 years following program construction. 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to complete an online prescreening before completing an application, according to the press release. This step is not required but is strongly encouraged and helps to assess project and organizational readiness before entering the applicant pool. 

Projects will be scored based on applicant capacity, community need, leveraged sources, projected long-term outcomes, and soundness of development approach, according to the press release. Projects will be ranked by total score, and the highest-ranking projects will be awarded based on threshold compliance, readiness, and funds availability. 

The application window closes at 5pm on Nov 2. Additional information, including eligibility criteria, can be found here.

“Applications open for Renew NC’s Helene recovery rental housing program” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.