The Helping Out Mecklenburg’s homeowners with Economic Support (HOMES) grant program, funded by Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, is designed to assist residential taxpayers with low to moderate incomes within Mecklenburg County. The program's core mission is to help these homeowners retain their homes, directly aligning with a broader goal of economic stability and community welfare within the county. This initiative reflects a strategic priority to support vulnerable populations and prevent displacement due to financial hardship.
The primary beneficiaries of the HOMES grant program are low to moderate-income residential taxpayers who own and reside in a property within Mecklenburg County. To be eligible, the property must be the applicant's primary residence for the past three consecutive years, verified by a recorded deed or title. Even individuals on a recorded life estate, rather than directly on the deed, may qualify. The program specifically targets those not currently benefiting from other state property tax relief programs such as the North Carolina Homestead Exclusion, Property Tax Homestead Circuit Breaker, Disabled Veterans Exclusion, or Present Use Value (PUV) Program, ensuring resources are directed to those with the greatest need for this particular form of assistance.
The program's priorities and focus are clearly on home retention and financial support for qualified residents. The emphasis on property ownership and primary residency for a sustained period indicates a commitment to assisting long-term residents and fostering community stability. The meticulous application process, including the requirement for complete applications and the possibility of audits, highlights a focus on accountability and ensuring the grants reach genuinely eligible individuals.
The expected outcome of the HOMES grant program is to significantly reduce the number of low to moderate-income homeowners at risk of losing their homes in Mecklenburg County. By providing economic support, the program aims to improve financial security for these residents, enabling them to maintain homeownership. Measurable results would likely include tracking the number of homeowners assisted, the retention rate of homes for grant recipients, and potentially the overall impact on property tax delinquency rates among the target demographic. The program implicitly operates on a theory of change where targeted financial intervention directly leads to enhanced housing stability and economic resilience for vulnerable homeowners.
