Community Development

Responsibilities

Moore County's Community Development division seeks to build the capacity of Moore County's low-income communities to successfully meet their own needs. Community Development staff:

• Statement of Need - Administer a grant-subsidized housing rehab program working with qualifying low-income homeowners - If you are a homeowner in need of assistance please contact Housing Program Rehab Coordinator Carlis Sweat at 947-5010 to have a Statement of Need mailed to you or by clicking on Statement of Need to obtain this document. Those in need of assistance may also pick up a copy of the Statement of Need at our office at 1048 Carriage Oaks Drive in Carthage (the Planning and Inspections Department, across from Food Lion on Monroe Street and in the same complex as DSS.) The Statement of Need will put you on our mailing list and we will mail you an application when program opportunities become available.
• Referral Guide - Refer low-income homeowners to resources outside our department - Our division is able to serve a small portion of those in need. Other agencies, including USDA Rural Development, Independent Living, Action Pathways, and Habitat for Humanity are sometimes a better fit for homeowners in need because these agencies are often able to serve homeowners more quickly than our programs. These additional resources can be found by clicking Referral Guide.

Housing Rehab Program

Housing rehab programs improve homes owned by qualifying low-income persons living in Moore County. The work is geared toward addressing health and human safety challenges while also preserving what is often the largest asset owned by a low-income family.

The Community Development division maintains a mailing list of all those who have expressed a need for assistance. When program funds become available an application is mailed to everyone on the mailing list with a letter describing the program opportunity and deadline for application submission. Those interested in having work performed to their home must submit an application for each program in order to be considered for assistance under that program.

Please note that this program does not proceed as quickly as some beneficiaries may like. Even those selected for assistance wait months as compliance hurdles are cleared before work may commence.

Different programs have different requirements. Some programs allow approximately $5,000 worth of work ("emergency repair") to be performed on a home. Other programs allow more significant repairs, and all programs place limits on the amount of work that can be performed on a mobile home. In order to be considered for assistance, applicants must own their home (mortgage is acceptable), and be current on their taxes. We ask that all applicants maintain property free of zoning violations such as piles of trash and abandoned cars or mobile homes. Those applicants who lack clear title to their property are encouraged to contact the Land Loss Prevention Project at 800-672-5839 to obtain free legal assistance.