Please make available to the public from February 24 - March 25, 2013
DRAFT
City of Charlotte
And Charlotte-Mecklenburg Consortium
FY2015 Annual Action Plan
February 2014
Submit comments or questions to:
Warren Wooten
Neighborhood & Business Services
600 E. Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-336-2489
twooten@charlottenc.gov
Para solicitar una copia en Español, por favor póngase en contacto con
Warren Wooten en el 704-336-2489 or twooten@charlottenc.gov.
Fifth Program Year
Action Plan
The CPMP Annual Action Plan includes the SF 424 and Narrative Responses to Action Plan
questions that CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and ESG grantees must respond to each year in order to
be compliant with the Consolidated Planning Regulations. The Executive Summary narratives are
optional.
Narrative Responses
GENERAL
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Charlotte is submitting the FY2015 Annual Action Plan (Action Plan) as the fifth and
final Program Year Action Plan of the 2011-2015 Consolidated Plan. The U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all jurisdictions receiving annual
entitlements of formula grants submit annual action plans to report on the status of needs and
outcomes expected to be achieved in the coming year.
In FY2015, the City of Charlotte expects to receive the following entitlement grants:



Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
Emergency Solution Grant (ESG)
In addition, the City of Charlotte as the lead entity for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Regional
Consortium expects to receive the following entitlement grant:

HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)
Each of the proposed activities and projects identified in this Action Plan are intended to
principally benefit priority needs households - those households with incomes ranging from 0%80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). These households include populations that have special
needs, such as elderly, disabled, homeless and HIV/AIDS families and individuals. The activities
and projects will also address the City’s overall priorities identified in the 2011-2015 Plan,
including:

Continued implementation of More Than Shelter, Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Ten-Year
Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness by creating new, supportive housing
opportunities for homeless individuals and families, including those who are chronically
homeless.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
1
City of Charlotte

Increasing affordable rental housing for priority needs households, particularly for
extremely low-income (30% or less of AMI), very low-income (31-50% of AMI)
households and special needs populations.

Revitalizing Neighborhoods: The City’s will continue targeting assistance in four Service
Delivery areas that are closely aligned to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Service
Delivery areas.

Revitalizing Distressed Business Corridors: The City will continue to identify
employment, and tax base improvement within the Business Corridor Geography with
increased Facade matching grant assistance to apartment properties, and a special focus
on identifying a Public/Private Partnership to redevelop the Eastland Mall. In addition, a
developer proposal has been submitted for the Bojangles Arena for a sports facility and
adjacent development, which includes a hotel. The City is acquiring nuisance properties
in the area and expanding the City’s redevelopment plan for amateur sports on
Independence Boulevard.

Promoting Economic Growth: The City continues to coordinate collaboration among a
local consortium of small business resources providers and the support of the
CharlotteBusinessResources.com web portal connecting businesses and entrepreneurs
with resources for successfully starting and growing their businesses. The website
served 22,615 visitors seeking information on local business resources during FY2013.
The City led a community celebration of Small Business Week for 170 registrants, and
featuring a keynote small business expert and events and program of interest to the
small business participants.
HUD OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS
Activities identified in the FY2015 Action Plan align with the above priorities and are quantified
by level of need. By addressing these priorities, the City intends to meet HUD’s affordable
housing and community and economic development objectives as well as outcome performance
expectations. These performance expectations serve as a guide for funding activities.
Three specific HUD objectives relate to CDBG funding. These include:
 Providing Decent Housing: Applicable to housing programs where the purpose is to meet
individual family or community needs, and not programs where housing is an element of a
larger effort, such as would otherwise be applied under the “Creating Suitable Living
Environment” objective.
 Creating Suitable Living Environments: Applicable to activities that are designed to
benefit communities, families, or individuals by addressing issues in their living
environment. This objective relates to activities that are intended to address a wide range
of issues faced by low-and moderate-income persons, from physical problems with their
environment to social issues such as crime prevention, literacy, or elderly health services.
 Creating Economic Development Opportunities. Applicable to activities that are related
to economic development, commercial revitalization or job creation.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte
HUD has identified three specific outcomes that relate to the above objectives. These include:
 Availability/Accessibility: Activities which make services, infrastructure, housing,
or shelter available or accessible to low-and moderate income persons, including
persons with disabilities and special needs. In this category, accessibility does not only
refer to physical barriers, but also to making the affordable basics of daily living available
and accessible to low- and moderate- income people.

Affordability: Activities which provide affordability in a variety of ways. It can include the
creation or maintenance of affordable housing, basic move-in services, or services such as
transportation or day care. Affordability is an appropriate objective whenever activity is
lowering the cost, improving the quality, or increasing the affordability of a product or
service to benefit a low- and moderate-income person.
 Sustainability: Activities aimed at improving communities or neighborhoods,
helping to make them livable or viable by providing benefit to low- and moderate-income
persons or by removing or eliminating slum or blighted areas.
Because each activity identified in this FY2015 Action Plan will be implemented with varying
intent and purpose, at least one of the above objectives and outcomes is proposed for each
Action Plan activity. HUD outcomes and objectives are identified for all the affordable housing
and community development objectives included in this plan.
PAST PERFORMANCE
The City of Charlotte anticipates meeting or exceeding all of its program goals in FY2015 for
projects that have a one-year cycle.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
Citizen participation and consultation for the FY2015 Action Plan was provided. This
involvement included:

Conducting three citizen forums in different parts of the City to discuss housing and
other neighborhood needs that relate to the Action Plan.

Participating in discussions with our local Continuum of Care, as well as, data utilized
from the 2013 Continuum of Care application to HUD.

Using data from the 2014 annual Point-in-Time count of households who were homeless
or at risk of homelessness.

Placing a public notice of availability of the Draft FY2015 Action Plan in local English and
Spanish newspapers.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte

Holding a Public Hearing on the Draft Action Plan during the April 14, 2014 City Council
Business Meeting.
In addition, to help develop the FY2015 Action Plan, the City of Charlotte called upon numerous
governmental, non-profit and private sector partners to provide data, input and
recommendations.
RESOURCES
Figure 1 provides a breakdown of federal, state and local funds expected to be received to
address the needs identified in the FY2015 Action Plan.
Figure 1: Federal, State and Local Funds Expected in FY2015
SOURCE OF FUNDS
Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG)
HOME Investment Partnership
(HOME)
Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
FY2015 Grant
Projected Program
Income
SUB – TOTAL
$4,865,370
FY2015 Grant
$2,055,548
Local Match
Projected Program
Income
SUB – TOTAL
FY2015 Grant
FY2015 Appropriation
(PAYG)
Housing Bonds
Housing Bond Program
Income
Neighborhood
Improvement Bonds
Street and Certificates of
Participation Bonds for
Economic Development
Business Grant Program
Income
SUB – TOTAL
TOTAL FY2015
RESOURCES
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
$250,000
$5,115,370
$513,887
$400,000
$2,969,435
$322,208
Housing Opportunities for Persons
FY2015 Grant
with AIDS (HOPWA)
Public Housing
Operating Subsidy (CHA)
Section 8 Operating
Other Federal Funds
Subsidy (CHA)
SUB – TOTAL
Other Local Funds
FUNDING
$873,634
$10,345,784
$43,415,981
$53,761,765
$7,354,290
$7,500,000
$300,000
$20,000,000
$49,980,000
$100,000
$85,234,290
$148,276,702
4
City of Charlotte
Leveraging of Federal Entitlement FUNDS
The City uses local funding and other federal grants in addition to the CDBG, HOME, ESG and
HOPWA entitlement federal grants to accomplish the Action Plan objectives. The project sheets
included in the attachments detail the activities that will be accomplished by using federal
funding. Total expected CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA entitlement grant funding to be
received by the City in FY2015 is $8,116,760. The City and its partners will provide additional
funding for community and economic development related activities exceeding $135 million in
community investment.
ANNUAL OBJECTIVES
The FY2015 objectives reflect those identified in the 2011-2015 Consolidated Plan. These
objectives are based upon the three HUD objectives (providing decent housing, creating a
suitable living environment and creating economic opportunity) as well as the following City of
Charlotte priorities:

Implementing More Than Shelter, Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Ten Year Plan to End and
Prevent Homelessness. One of the greatest needs identified in the plan is supportive
housing for homeless individuals and families. In FY2015, the City anticipates creating
200 units of supportive housing, as well as providing funding for tenant-based housing
subsidies.

Increasing affordable rental housing for priority needs households, particularly the
extremely low-income (30% or less of AMI), very low-income (31-50% of AMI)
households and special needs populations. The 2011-2015 Consolidated Plan projected
an unmet need of approximately 17,000 rental units for priority needs households. The
majority of the unmet need is for households earning 30% or less of the area median
income. In FY2015, the City anticipates rehabilitating 170 rental units and creating 100
new rental units for priority needs households.

Homeless Assistance. The City will utilize Emergency Solution Grant funds for
Emergency Shelter (Essential Services & Operation), Homelessness Prevention, Street
Outreach and Rapid Re-Housing activities. In addition, ESG funds will be used for our
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Administration activities.
Stable housing is the foundation upon which people build their lives, it is important to
obtain such to achieve economic stability, good physical and mental health, and positive
educational outcomes. By providing funds to help families and individuals maintain
housing and recieve supportive service, the City will support the national priorities
established in Open Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.

Revitalizing targeted neighborhoods The City will focus housing, infrastructure, code
enforcement and other revitalization resources and community support in the four
Service Delivery Areas identified by Neighborhood & Business Services.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte
In FY2015, the City will continue working with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing
Partnership to redevelop Double Oaks (renamed Brightwalk), a $120M project. This 60acre tract located on the west side of Statesville Road between Badger Road and LaSalle
Street consisted of 576 units in 165 barracks style buildings, which have been
demolished to make way for 940 new units to include multifamily and single family
development. The City has provided over $25M in assistance including a $10M Section
108 loan and a $3.6M Tax Increment Grant. The new Brightwalk development has sold
over 74 homes to date. This project is essential for the improvement of several
neighborhoods along Statesville Avenue.

In addition to Double Oaks, Economic Development is involved in approximately 600
units of multifamily housing development with the City Park Tax Increment Grant (TIG),
the Metropolitan TIG project, Wesley Heights/Bryant Park, First Ward, Elizabeth, and
the Seaboard/NC Music Factory project. All of these large projects include market rate
housing, with some workforce housing, as the City development agreements require .
For example, the Seaboard/NC Music Factory project will have up to 70 affordable
housing units required as part of the Infrastructure Reimbursement Agreement.
CHA will complete construction of the first phase of the Residences at Renaissance (74
rental units) and complete Phase 3 (150 units) by the fall of 2015. All units will serve a
mix of very low income, workforce and market rate families;
Complete the extensive renovation of Edwin Towers, a 174-unit high rise for seniors;
Continue the redevelopment of the 2.23 acres of vacant land at the intersection of Park
and Marsh. The final tax credit application will be submitted in FY2015, seeking to fund
new construction of 92 units of affordable housing for the elderly;
Begin planning for the redevelopment of three public housing sites. Preliminary
planning is focusing on both Strawn Cottage and Hall House becoming mixed use/mixed
income developments with an emphasis on a range of market rate and
affordable/workforce for sale and rental units. Preliminary planning for Tall Oaks
includes both the development and preservation of affordable/workforce housing units
supporting a range of incomes from 30% AMI to 80% AMI;

Promoting Economic Growth The City continued to coordinate collaboration
among a local consortium of small business resources providers and the
support of the CharlotteBusinessResources.com web portal connecting
businesses and entrepreneurs with resources for successfully starting and
growing their businesses. The website served 22,615 visitors seeking
information on local business resources during FY2013. The City led a
community celebration of Small Business Week for 170 registrants, and
featuring a keynote small business expert and events and program of interest
to the small business participants.
During FY2013, through the City’s Small Business Opportunity (SBO) Program
achieved 5.75% of the City’s total formal & informal contracting dollars
awarded to SBE’s. The goal is 5%. In addition, the City Council approved a
new Business Inclusion program which adds race and gender-conscious
measures to the Small Business Opportunity Program to remedy the effects of
marketplace discrimination documented in the 2011 Disparity Study.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte
City Council adopted a High Growth Entrepreneur Strategy that provides a
framework for the City’s role in supporting high growth enterprises.
Figure 2 lists the specific objectives relating to the above City priorities, along with information
related to sources of funds, performance indicators and the FY2015 targets for achieving the
objectives. The performance indicators and targets will be used by the City of Charlotte and
HUD to monitor annual progress with implementation of the 2011-2015 Five-Year Consolidated
Plan.
Figure 2: Summary of Specific Annual Objectives
Obj
#
Specific Objectives
Sources of
Funds
Performance Indicators
FY2015
Target
Outcome/
Objective*
DH-1
DH-2
DH-3
Rental Housing Objectives
AH1
CDBG, HOME
Housing Trust
Fund, Tax
Credits
# new units
100
# of rehabbed units
170
Increase opportunities for low, moderate
and middle-income households to
become and remain homeowners.
CDBG, HOME
Housing Trust
Fund, Tax
Credits
# of completions
80
Preserve and improve existing affordable
owner housing in low-income
neighborhoods.
CDBG, HOME
Increase and maintain the supply of safe,
decent rental housing units available for
low-income households, focusing on
households earning 50% or less of AMI.
Owner Housing Objectives
AH2
AH3
# of subsidies
# receiving housing
counseling
# of units
300
1,000
DH-1
DH-2
DH-3
25 rehab
53 minor
repair
DH-1
DH-2
DH-3
Homeless & Special Needs Objectives
Accelerate development of appropriate
service-enriched and/or supportive
housing for homeless and special needs
populations through new construction,
rental assistance and rehabilitation.
Increase the number of tenant-based
rental subsidies available for homeless
and special needs populations.
Increase homelessness prevention
assistance for households at risk of
becoming homeless
Community Development Objectives
CDBG, HOME
Housing Trust
Fund, NC
Housing Finance
# of units
200
DH-1
DH-2
HOME, ESG
# of rental subsidies
200
DH-1
DH-2
ESG
# of households receiving
financial assistance
150
DH-1
DH-2
CD2
Concentrate code enforcement in
targeted and other key neighborhoods to
improve their appearance, health, safety
and overall livability (Public Service-PS).
Local
# of housing, zoning and
nuisance code
compliances
SL-3
CD3
Increase involvement of a broader range
of residents in neighborhood and
community building initiatives (Public
Local,
Neighborhood
Improvement
# of people trained
2,400
housing
7,500 zoning
32,000
nuisance
90
residents
AH4
AH5
AH6
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
7
SL-3
City of Charlotte
CD4
CD5
CD6
CD7
CD8
Service -PS).
Bonds
Improve the physical appearance and
aging infrastructure in distressed business
corridors and target neighborhoods.
(Economic Development & Public
Infrastructure)
CDBG,
Neighborhood
Improvement
Bonds
Strengthen opportunities for public and
private partnerships to encourage the
integration of education, recreation,
employment and housing resources in
identified redevelopment areas (ED, C&C).
CDBG,
Neighborhood
Improvement
Bonds
Create an environment to help small
businesses thrive through collaboration
and public/private partnerships (ED).
CDBG,
Neighborhood
Improvement
Bonds
Promote workforce development through
education, training and other linkages to
high growth job markets (ED/PS).
WIA
Support quality after school opportunities
for youth living in low-income
neighborhoods through the Mayor’s
Mentoring Alliance, Out of School
Partners, and Truancy Intervention &
Prevention Program (PS).
CDBG, Local
Funds allocated
$20,000,000
Infrastructure projects
finished
6
# of neighborhoods plans
implemented
leverage business corridor
funds at 1:10
public/private ratio.
0*
# of local business-tobusiness supplier
connections that result in
sales of goods and/or
services
# of SBEs participating in
training
1:10 ratio
SL-1
SL-3
EO-3
C-3
10
50
% of informal City contracts
awarded to SBEs
12%
# of youth trained
1500
# of youth placed in jobs
500
# of youth served
200
EO-1
EO-2
EO-2
SL-3
EO-3
SL-1
SL-2
*the City discontinued this activity
*HUD Outcome/Objective Codes
Description
Availability/Accessibility
Decent Housing
DH-1
Suitable Living Environment
SL-1
Economic Opportunity
EO-1
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
8
Affordability
DH-2
SL-2
EO-2
Sustainability
DH-3
SL-3
EO-3
City of Charlotte
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES
The funding sources and amounts for each planned activity in Figure 2 are provided in Figure
3 below.
Figure 3: FY2015 Planned Activities
ACTIVITY
Decent, Affordable Housing
Housing Rehabilitation: Rental and
Ownership
(Neighborhood Revitalization)
New Construction: Rental
Tenant-Based Rental Subsidies
FUNDING SOURCE
CDBG
LOCAL (HTF)
HOME
FUNDING
AMOUNT
$1,844,443
$7,800,000
$330,000
Community Housing Development
Organizations
HOME
HOME Consortium
HOME
$47,835
Community-Based Development
Organization
CDBG
LOCAL
$1,470,000
$490,000
Down Payment Assistance (House
Charlotte Loans)
Housing Relocation (Emergency
Temporary Housing Program)
HOME
LOCAL
$2,206,185
$588,747
$385,415
CDBG
$200,000
Pre/Post Homeownership
Counseling
LOCAL
$450,000
Emergency Utility and Rental
Assistance (Crisis Assistance
Ministry)
LOCAL
$380,000
Shelter program with homeless
prevention programs and support
services
ESG
$322,208
Housing opportunity for persons
with AIDS/HIV
HOPWA
Subtotal
$873,634
$17,388,467
Suitable Living Environment
Code Enforcement (housing,
nuisance and zoning)
LOCAL
$7,099,449
Neighborhood
Revitalization—infrastructure and
other capital investments
Neighborhood Matching Grants
LOCAL
LOCAL
$20,000,000
$325,000
CDBG
LOCAL
$610,000
$672,699
$28,707,148
Distressed Corridor
Improvements—Infrastructure,
Brownfield, Façade, and Security
Grants, Loan Dollars Leveraged
Small Business Support
LOCAL
LOCAL
$2,000,000
$2,415,105
Economic Development
Redevelopment Projects
LOCAL
$49,980,000
LOCAL
$281,640
$54,676,745
Out of School Partners
Subtotal
Economic Opportunity
Mayor’s Youth Employment Program
Subtotal
Administration & Planning
Housing Services & Department
Operating
CDBG/Local
TOTAL ALL ACTIVITIES
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
$6,039,047
$106,811,407
9
City of Charlotte
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION/ALLOCATION PRIORITIES
Understanding demographic and economic trends is important to developing a housing and
community development strategy. The following are key factors include:

Most recent population estimates completed for 2012 by the North Carolina state
demographer’s office estimated Charlotte’s population to be 765,464. In addition,
Mecklenburg County’s estimated population was 962,593. Local estimates suggest
Mecklenburg County exceeded one million residents in 2013.

Current American Community Survey data (2012) indicates approximately 30.5% of
Mecklenburg County households have incomes of less than $35,000 and 33.2%
have annual incomes between $35,000 and $74,999. 14.5% of the population,
approximately 139,000 individuals live at or below the poverty line.
GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION OF INVESTMENT
While the majority of Mecklenburg County is included in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Regional Housing Consortium’s geographic domain, the FY2015 strategy is to continue
focusing resources on revitalization and other housing and community development needs
in Charlotte’s urban core due to high concentrations of poverty and blight. The City’s
service delivery strategy focuses on four Service Delivery Areas. This allows the City to
customize activities based on area needs and locate resources in close proximity to the
customer. Figure 4 shows the percentage of African Americans and Latino in each of the
four Service Delivery Areas.
Figure 4: Percentage of African Americans and Latino per Service Delivery Area
70
60
50
Percentage 40
based on total
30
population
20
10
0
African American
Latino
Service Delivery Areas
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
10
City of Charlotte
Revitalization funds will also be focused on the identified business corridors. Figure 5 shows
the location of these targeted areas.
Figure 5: Service Delivery Areas and Business Corridors/Districts
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
11
City of Charlotte
ANNUAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS/OBJECTIVES
In FY2015, the City of Charlotte’s annual goal for affordable housing is to undertake
rehabilitation of 170 rental units and the construction of 100 new rental units for extremely
low-income, very-low income, moderate-income households and non-homeless persons
with special needs---e.g. elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The rehabilitation of rental units will be accomplished through the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Housing Partnership (CMHP) and other non-profit and private sector housing developers.
Creation of new units will be accomplished through CMHP and the Charlotte Housing
Authority (CHA.)
To preserve existing ownership units, the City’s FY2015 goal is to rehabilitate 25 units and
provide minor repairs for 53 units. To create new homeownership opportunities in FY2015,
the City anticipates creating 80 new owner units.
In FY2015, the City anticipates developing 200 units which will include supportive housing
units for chronic homeless individuals and service-enriched units for homeless and/or at-risk
families and individuals. In addition, an estimated 200 tenant-based rental subsidies will be
provided in FY2015 through the City of Charlotte, 4,958 through CHA and 46 through the
Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium.
Figure 6 (HUD Table 3B) provides the projected number of households expected to be
served during FY2015 by the various activities (e.g., production of new units, rehabilitation
of existing units, homebuyer assistance and rental assistance) using CDBG, HOME, ESG and
HOPWA funds.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte
Figure 6: Annual Affordable Housing Completion Goals (HUD Table 3b)
Grantee Name: City of Charlotte
Program Year: FY2015
BENEFICIARY GOALS (Sec. 215 Only)
Homeless households
Non-homeless households
Expected Annual
Number To Be
Served/Completed
CDBG
HOME
ESG
5,200
2,600
Special needs households
Total Sec. 215 Beneficiaries*
Resources used during the period
HOPWA
X
X
X
X
336
X
8,136
X
X
X
Acquisition of existing units
100
X
Production of new units
100
Rehabilitation of existing units
170
X
Rental Assistance
200
X
X
570
X
X
Acquisition of existing units
20
X
X
Production of new units
80
Rehabilitation of existing units
78
X
X
300
X
X
478
X
X
Acquisition of existing units
120
X
X
Production of new units
180
Rehabilitation of existing units
248
X
X
Rental Assistance
200
X
X
Homebuyer Assistance
300
X
X
1,048
X
X
X
X
X
RENTAL GOALS (Sec. 215 Only)
Total Sec. 215 Affordable Rental
X
X
X
HOME OWNER GOALS
(Sec. 215 Only)
Homebuyer Assistance
Total Sec. 215 Affordable Owner
X
COMBINED RENTAL AND OWNER
GOALS (Sec. 215 Only)
Combined Total Sec. 215 Goals*
X
X
X
OVERALL HOUSING GOALS
(Sec. 215 + Other Affordable Housing)
Annual Rental Housing Goal
570
Annual Owner Housing Goal
478
X
X
1,048
X
X
Total Overall Housing Goal
X
Unit production funding includes Housing Trust Fund and LIHTC. Beneficiaries include ESG, Homeless Prevention,
HOPWA & units completed.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
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City of Charlotte
PUBLIC HOUSING
The Moving To Work (MTW) Demonstration program was created to act as a laboratory for
selected public housing authorities across the country to design and test different strategies of
providing housing assistance, providing exemptions from the regulatory and administrative
framework imposed on other housing authorities. The Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) is one
of those agencies and both CHA and Charlotte benefit from participation, among 39 other
housing agencies, by being able to request exemptions from HUD regulations governing both
the public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs. In addition to the exemptions, CHA
has the flexibility to combine federal public housing operating subsidies, tenant-based
assistance (HCV), and capital improvements in a single MTW account that can be used to fund a
variety of activities (single fund budget flexibility).
Locally, CHA refers to the Moving To Work demonstration program as Moving Forward,
symbolizing the direction the flexibility enables the agency, its customers and the City of
Charlotte to move towards. Using the MTW flexibility, CHA has seen an increase in its
investment portfolio, affordable units developed and the number of customers provided case
management and supportive services. CHA’s customers have had the benefit of a rent
calculation activity that allows rent to stay the same if income increases remain within the
established $2,500 rent band. Also, CHA created an incentive account which escrows a portion
of the rent paid if earned income is present in the household and the sources of income reaches
a $12,500 household threshold. Families have realized improved communities via the security
initiatives implemented. In the Charlotte community, CHA partnered with supportive housing
providers to provide subsidies, project-based vouchers and gap financing which enabled them to
serve targeted populations including the elderly, disabled and homeless.
During FY2015, CHA will implement MTW activities that reduce administrative burdens and
expand housing choices such as: 1) Streamline Project Based Voucher and Public Housing
regulations; 2) Biennial Inspections of Housing Choice Voucher units 3) Implement a Public
Housing No Assistance Termination Policy; and 4) continue the ongoing MTW activities.
Continuing through 2018, CHA willtrack the success of the Moving Forward initiatives by
measuring the following metrics:
 The employment rate for able-bodied heads of households and other family
members receiving Moving Forward Supportive Services.
 The number of family members in training and/or education programs receiving
Moving Forward Supportive Services.
 The increase in average and median income of families (all sources and earned
income) (excluding seniors and disabled families) receiving Moving Forward
Supportive Services.
 The amount of funds leveraged in the community for production of affordable
housing and the provision of supportive services.
 The number of children who enter post-secondary education.
 The percent increase in number of CHA students receiving benefits from the CHA
Scholarship Fund (CHASF).
 The number of public housing units in mixed-income environments.
Fifth Program Year Action Plan
14
City of Charlotte

The distribution of public housing and project-based vouchers by zip code (deconcentration).
In addition, CHA will continue to operate two highly successful MTW initiatives: the Center for
Employment Services and With Every Heartbeat Is Life.
Center for Employment Services
The Center for Employment Services (CES) is a Moving Forward initiative of the CHA to promote
employment and self-reliance in West Charlotte. According to CHA, one of the largest barriers to
employment that clients in its portfolio face is lack of job skills or training. CES focuses on
addressing this issue. To ensure the employment services were accessible, CHA chose a location
in West Charlotte on the CATS bus line.
Located at the corner of Caronia Street and Clanton Road, CES provides space to local service
providers to bring career development opportunities to the area. Current partners residing at
the center include: Charlotte Works, Jacob’s Ladder Job Center West, The Benefit Bank, and City
Dive, Inc. CHA also utilizes the services of Grace-Mar Services Inc. for job placements.
Additional support for the Center for Employment Services has come through donations from
Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Wells Fargo and IBM.
CES Success Measures
1. Number of clients in training and/or educational programs
2. Number of clients who secure employment
3. Increase in client wages
With Every Heartbeat Is Life
CHA participates in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s With Every Heartbeat is Life
(WEHL) initiative. C. W. Williams Community Health Center is a partner in this initiative and
provides health screenings and encourages routine doctor’s visits. CHA residents were trained
to be Community Health Workers. As Community Health Workers, they play a key role in
promoting better health in African American communities. They help people learn about health
issues and show them ways to live healthier lives. Community Health Workers utilize a manual
to train community residents, picture cards, recipe booklet featuring heart healthy dishes, and a
booklet highlighting techniques families can use to start or maintain activities that promote a
heart healthy lifestyle.
The program has graduated more than 210 participants since its inception in 2010. Goals of the
WEHL program for FY2014-2015 will consist of continuing to promote the WEHL program
throughout all CHA communities. Proposed activities include:
 Host events at various public housing sites as an attempt to make the program more
accessible to increase participation and decrease the transportation barrier
 Conduct a 5K marathon
 Institute a walking club in a pilot CHA housing development
 Promote socialization and networking , knowledge of community resources as well
as increase the physical activity of the clients residing in that particular community
 Continue to promote healthy eating choices among children who participate in the
program and adopt the National Michelle Obama Campaign of "Move Your Body"
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CHA FY2015 FOCUS
The CHA’s mission is to develop, operate and provide quality housing in sustainable
communities of choice for residents of diverse incomes. Some of the agency efforts to
develop and manage affordable housing opportunities to include leading strategic
partnerships to optimize housing choices and maximizing customer service in FY2015
include:

Continue to co-chair the Housing Working Group of the CONNECT Consortium, a
Council of Governments-led collaborative three-year, 14 county, bi-state regional
planning process funded by a HUD Sustainable Communities regional planning
grant.

Ensure 100% of contracts meet their Section 3 commitments, including the hiring
and training of low income citizens.

Implement rent reform strategy requiring employment from families where the
head of household is receiving Self-Sufficiency case management.

Implement a strategy to transition selected public housing developments into
Project-Based communities under HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)
project, pending HUD approval.

Continue to conduct meaningful training sessions for staff on both fair housing and
domestic violence laws and best practices.

Continue to implement strategies to decrease Part I crimes in CHA and Horizon
owned and managed properties by 5% from previous year.

Continue to expand a CHA resident talent "pool" database that will be made
available to area businesses to increase employment efforts.

Continue to expand of a "skills training fund" that place residents in vocational skill
courses that match occupations in demand.

Create an advisory group of Neighborhood Associations and Housing Choice
Voucher Program landlords and implement a community hotline. Both initiatives
will increase agency responsiveness to the Charlotte community.

Re-scope CHA’s case management self-sufficiency model to maximize services
through a streamlined but efficient delivery model.

Promote homeownership via both our Family Self Sufficiency and our Section 8
homeownership programs.
CHA’s Real Estate Development department will serve our targeted customers by increasing
housing opportunities, upgrading and repositioning assets as well as pursuing nonresidential opportunities as appropriate to better serve customers. FY2015 goals include:
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City of Charlotte

Complete construction of the first phase of the Residences at Renaissance (74 rental
units) and complete Phase 3 (150 units) by the fall of 2015. All units will serve a mix
of very low income, workforce and market rate families;

Complete the extensive renovation of Edwin Towers, a 174-unit high rise for seniors;

Continue the redevelopment of the 2.23 acres of vacant land at the intersection of
Park and Marsh. The final tax credit application will be submitted in FY2015,
seeking to fund new construction of 92 units of affordable housing for the elderly;

Begin planning for the redevelopment of three public housing sites. Preliminary
planning is focusing on both Strawn Cottage and Hall House becoming mixed
use/mixed income developments with an emphasis on a range of market rate and
affordable/workforce for sale and rental units. Preliminary planning for Tall Oaks
includes both the development and preservation of affordable/workforce housing
units supporting a range of incomes from 30% AMI to 80% AMI;

Convert a percentage of Housing Choice Vouchers to project-based vouchers for
CHA direct development use and/or use voucher resources for capital;

Increase production of accessible units through redevelopment and new
construction.
HOMELESS AND SPECIAL NEEDS
Charlotte’s FY2015 projected funding for the Emergency Solution Grant (ESG) Program is
$322,208. A competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process is used by the City of Charlotte
to identify and select recipient organizations. These funds will provide homeless persons
with emergency shelter (including operational costs) and essential supportive services. In
addition, ESG funds will provide homelessness prevention, street outreach and rapid rehousing activities which includes short and medium term rental assistance to persons
homeless or at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, or utility shutoffs.
ESG funds will also assist with Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) costs to
assist with reporting requirements and for administration of the grant. The City anticipates
serving 5,200 households with ESG funds.
Unfortunately, the demand for emergency shelter and emergency rental and utility
assistance is still high in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The women’s shelter and Crisis Assistance
Ministry, which administers emergency assistance for the community, are experiencing ongoing capacity problems. Several nights, the women’s shelter is forced to turn people away
and Crisis Assistance Ministry has reduced the maximum amount of funds for households
seeking assistance.
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City of Charlotte
In 2006, the City of Charlotte adopted More Than Shelter, Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Ten Year
Implementation Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness. The plan includes an
implementation strategy with three main goals:



Get homeless families & individuals into safe, appropriate housing as soon as
possible.
Link the chronic homeless to housing, treatment, and services through intensive
outreach and engagement.
Promote housing stability of people most at-risk of becoming homeless.
In FY2015, the City will review the plan to determine if the strategies and goals are still in
line with the community needs and makes necessary revisions.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing (Coalition) will continue to oversee and
promote Implementation of the Ten Year Plan. The Coalition will also become lead agency
for the Continuum of Care, implementing governance during the FY15 Action Plan. This
board assists in the development of annual implementation priorities and builds
collaboration across governmental, non-profit and private sector lines.
In FY2015, the City of Charlotte will continue to support several partners who rapidly
rehouse homeless men, women and families. Utilizing HOME funds these partners provide
monthly rental subsidies. Their continuing care teams provides ongoing support to clients
and referrals as additional support services are identified once they are moved into a unit.
The goal is to prevent any returns to homelessness. The Men’s Shelter, Mecklenburg
County, Charlotte Family Housing and Salvation Army are current partners in this activity.
ADDRESSING FAMILY HOMELESSNESS
Charlotte Family Housing (CFH) will continue to be supported by the City of Charlotte in
FY2015. HOME funds will be used to provide monthly rental subsidies. CFH is a collaborative
solution designed to eliminate homelessness by rapidly re-housing homeless working
families into safe and decent apartments and empowering them with extensive relationshiporiented supportive services to become self-sufficient. Core services include:




Housing placement
Family support social worker
Step/reward system
Hope Team volunteers
Utilizing 60 subsidized public housing units, Hampton Creste Apartments will continue to
provide transitional housing for shelter families. CHA will provide the rent subsidies, while
the Salvation Army will provide the supportive services for the families.
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
In February 2010, a Vulnerability Index Survey was conducted to determine which members
of Charlotte’s homeless community are most vulnerable to dying on the streets and should,
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City of Charlotte
therefore, be prioritized for housing. This groundbreaking survey was sponsored by CHA
and led by staff from Common Ground in partnership with the Urban Ministry Center.
Teams of volunteers and staff worked under the leadership of Common Ground to find and
survey chronically homeless people at the Urban Ministry Center, in camps, under bridges,
in jail and hospitals and other locations throughout the community. Over three days, these
teams met and surveyed 807 chronically homeless individuals. The number of chronic
homeless was surprisingly larger than previously estimated.
Of those surveyed, 388 (48%) were identified as vulnerable, meaning they had at least one
health condition associated with a high mortality rate. These conditions include:








End stage renal disease
History of cold weather injuries
Liver disease or cirrhosis
HIV/AIDS
Over 60 years old
Three or more emergency room visits in prior three months
Three of more ER or hospitalizations in prior year
Tri-morbid (mentally ill + abusing substances + medical problems)
One of the key strategies in the Ten Year Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness is to create
at least 500 units of supportive housing for chronic homeless individuals and families. In an
effort to begin to address this need in FY2012, Moore Place, an 85 unit supportive housing
development, was built by Urban Ministries to serve the most vulnerable chronic homeless
individuals. Due to the success of Moore Place, Urban Ministries is in development of an
expansion to the facility, adding 35 beds.
NON-HOMELESS SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSEHOLDS
Special needs priority renter populations were assigned a high priority in the 2011-2015
Plan. With this in mind, the City of Charlotte will continue to encourage housing developers,
non-profits and others who may receive entitlement or local housing funds to rehab or
create new housing to make units available to and meet accessibility requirements for
special needs populations.
To further leverage community resources, a joint request for proposals was released
offering construction gap funding from the City, supportive services funding from
Mecklenburg County and 50 housing vouchers provided by the Housing Authority. With
applications due in early 2014, developer response to this approach is encouraging.
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HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
Continued support of Crisis Assistance Ministry to provide emergency rent and utility
assistance will be the major focus of homelessness prevention funding in FY2015. In
addition to the ESG funds, the City is expected to allocate $380,000 in local funds to Crisis
Assistance Ministry to administer the emergency rent and utility assistance programs in
FY2015. Figure 8 below shows the FY2015 targets for the Homelessness Prevention
activities.
Figure 8: FY2015 Homelessness Prevention Targets
Project
Emergency Solution Grant
Program (ESG)
Emergency Rental
Assistance
Emergency Utility
Assistance
Strategic
Measures
Number of Persons
FY2015
Target
300
Number of Persons
590
Number of Persons
1,000
HOPWA
The City of Charlotte selected Carolinas CARE Partnership (CCP) as project sponsor through a
formal selection process. CCP’s mission is to foster and ensure a regional approach to
prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and meet with compassion and dignity the needs of
those affected by the disease. CCP serves the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA),
which includes Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Union, and York Counties. The City’s
HOPWA program is designed to perform the following eligible HOPWA activities: supportive
services, tenant based rental assistance, resource identification, short-term rent, mortgage
and utility payments for individuals who have been diagnosed with the HIV/AIDS virus.
Figure 9 provides the FY2015 targets of HIV/AIDS clients to be served by HOPWA funds.
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Figure 9: HOPWA Client Service Targets FY2015
Client to Be Served
In FY2015
Activity
Short-Term Housing Assistance
Short-Term Housing Assistance &
Housing Information Services
Housing Information Services
Supportive Services Residential
Substance Abuse After-Care
Treatment
Supportive Services
Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment
& Supportive Services
80
101
Tenant Based Vouchers
Operating Expenses
40
42
129
89
83
26
BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In FY2015, the following actions will be taken to address barriers to affordable housing.
1) NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) Opposition to Affordable Housing: Community
opposition (NIMBY) is still one of the greatest barriers to affordable housing in
Charlotte. The City of Charlotte will continue to use the Housing Location Policy to
facilitate the location of affordable housing development in the community.
2) Lack of Funding for Affordable Housing: Housing Trust Fund dollars will be devoted
to meeting the unmet housing need, including the need for supportive housing for
homeless individuals and families.
3) Lack of Supportive Services Matched with Housing: In an effort to provide more
supportive services with housing, in October 2011 a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) was executed between the City of Charlotte Neighborhood &
Business Services, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services Department
and the CHA. This MOU outlines responsibilities and procedures by which the
parties will work together to ensure that affordable housing opportunities are
paired with appropriate supportive services. In January 2012, the first joint RFP was
issued for Supportive Housing Development (new construction, rehabilitation and
acquisition/rehabilitation). From this RFP, four proposals were selected in May 2012
to develop 58 units of supportive housing with supportive services to serve
individuals earning 50% or less than Area Median Income (AMI). These units are
expected to be completed in 2014.
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City of Charlotte
The City continues to recognize the need to collaborate with Mecklenburg County
and others in efforts to coordinate services and housing. Matching case
management and other services remains one of the greatest challenges to
increasing access to supportive housing.
4) Impacts from Changes in Economy: In FY2015, the City of Charlotte will continue to
monitor the changes in the mortgage industry and will create opportunities to
connect homeowners, particularly priority need owners, with available resources,
counseling and assistance.
OTHER ACTIONS
LEAD BASED PAINT ABATEMENT
The City of Charlotte received $2,479,414.00 in federal assistance from the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development for the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program
and funding was approved and provided through the 2012 Appropriations Act for Lead
Hazard Control Program. The programs purpose is to perform lead testing and lead hazard
control activities. Under the new grant approximately 200 homes will be inspected and risk
assessed for lead based paint hazards and approximately 185 homes will have hazard
control activities (testing, inspections and housing rehabilitation activities to reduce lead
hazards). The City of Charlotte will continue to implement its LeadSafe Charlotte Program
described in the 2011-2015 Consolidated Plan. The City will further integrate lead safe work
practices to all city rehabilitation programs, provide technical assistance as requested to
contractors on the Housing Bidder's Lists regarding lead safe work practices and encourage
Code Enforcement officials to make referrals to LeadSafe Charlotte and enforce code
requirements regarding the elimination of deteriorated paint.
The City will also focus on increasing collaboration with the Mecklenburg County Health
Department to do outreach and testing of children in vulnerable neighborhoods, including
an increasing number of Hispanic/Latino children. The City prioritizes units enrolled in the
lead program through direct referrals from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for
children with elevated levels at 10 ug/l or above.
ANTI-POVERTY STRATEGY
The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have been pursuing various strategies and
initiatives to improve economic opportunity for low wealth residents. Most of these efforts
are integrated into the goals, programs and policies of the City of Charlotte Neighborhood &
Business Services, the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and the Charlotte
Housing Authority. Some of the prominent strategies aimed at reducing poverty in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg include:

Mecklenburg County’s Work First Program to help lift households receiving public
assistance out of their poverty circumstances and into full-time employment.
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City of Charlotte

CHA’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program that provides remedial education,
counseling, job training referral and placement to public housing residents.

Local Job-Link system that provides access to training and jobs.

Mayor’s Mentoring Alliance connects Charlotte mentoring organizations for the
purpose of promoting best practices through providing workshops, resources and
standards for quality service delivery.

Mayor’s Youth Employment Program that provides summer employment
opportunities for disadvantaged youth that exposes them to the world of work.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing (CMCH) is a community based
board appointed to implement the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Ten Year Plan to End and
Prevent Homelessness. Board Members bring expertise and commitment to the
Ten Year plan with authentic and influential experience in homelessness and
housing services and are appointed by the Charlotte Mayor, City Council and the
Mecklenburg County Commission. This board helps address system gaps and create
opportunities for greater collaboration and coordination across governmental and
non-profit agencies as well as with the private sector. In FY2015, CMCH will partner
with the Continuum of Care to develop performance measures and outcomes which
will be utilized to determine funding allocations to agencies who are meeting
thresholds under the Homeless Emergency Assistance to Rapid Transition to
Housing Act.
The City and County will continue to invest in these and other anti-poverty initiatives in
FY2015.
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND COORDINATION
The institutional structure for the delivery of housing and support services to low and verylow income families and individuals in Charlotte-Mecklenburg involves public, private and
non-profit participation at the local, state and federal levels. Five key pillars are the
foundation of the institutional structure for affordable housing, which include:
1. The CHA, which owns and manages conventional public housing, develops mixedincome housing, provides City-financed public housing and transitional housing, and
administers the Section 8 program.
2. The City of Charlotte, through Neighborhood & Business Services, provides gap
financing for housing development and rehabilitation, enforces the City’s housing,
nuisance and zoning codes, provides limited relocation services, funds housing
counseling and support services on a contractual basis with non-profit
organizations. In additional to these services, the City coordinates the CharlotteMecklenburg Coalition for Housing, a group of public and private organizations and
businesses with a goal to implement the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Ten Year Plan to
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City of Charlotte
End and Prevent Homelessness. The CMHC will expand in FY2015 to include
governance of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Continuum of Care.
3. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership (CMHP), a non-profit housing
developer, administers a bank loan pool for single and multi-family mortgage
financing and develops and owns multi-family mortgage financing. CMHP also
develops and owns multi-family housing, produces homes for sale to low-income
families, provides support services for renters and homeowners and offers
homeownership counseling. Habitat for Humanity and Builders of Hope are other
non-profit developers of low-income housing working in the community.
4. The private sector is also committed to delivering housing and supportive services
to those with low and very-low income. The private sector includes developers,
rental property managers, the banking community, local businesses and others with
resources and/or technical expertise.
5. Housing support service providers including United Way agencies, Crisis Assistance
Ministry, Mecklenburg County and Community Link provide emergency housing,
human services, emergency financial assistance and housing counseling to the
lowest income families and individuals.
Five rapid transit corridors have been identified by the City of Charlotte. Light rail transit
has already been developed along the South Boulevard Corridor, and plans are underway
for extension of the light rail line along the North Tryon Corridor over the next five to seven
years. Development of the remaining corridors will occur as federal transportation funding
becomes available.
Creating higher density mixed-income housing, including housing for low-income residents,
is a strategy being incorporated into the development/redevelopment plans along these
corridors. To support and encourage this type of development, the City of Charlotte has
approved a transit-oriented development (TOD) overlay district and related regulations
within its zoning ordinance. This district calls for high density, mixed used development
within pedestrian-oriented community environments.
The City also approved a voluntary mixed income density bonus in 2013. This program
provides developers a density bonus in exchange for the developer providing a percentage
of units affordable to families from 60% to 80% of area median income.
Including affordable housing within the corridors developments has proven to be a
challenge, however, when considering the high cost of land. To address this issue, the City
of Charlotte will continue to seek out new approaches to financing affordable housing
within transit corridors, including targeting of housing subsidies such as Low Income
Housing Tax Credits and rental assistance, as well as the potential use of innovative
mortgage finance techniques, such as location-efficient mortgages.
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City of Charlotte
MONITORING
The City of Charlotte, Neighborhood & Business Services, is responsible for ensuring that the
federal funds spent on activities to benefit low and moderate-income households are in
compliance with federal guidelines. The performance monitoring activities include routine
monitoring and technical assistance rendered by staff to sub-recipients. Improvements to
the system are made on an ongoing basis.
Monitoring of CDBG, ESG and HOPWA Grants
All CDBG sub-recipients enter into contractual agreements with the City of Charlotte, which
includes a detailed scope of services with measurable objectives. The federal general
provisions, along with the appropriate OMB Circulars, are included in contractual
agreements to ensure compliance. The budget line items must be reflective of the goals and
objectives. Prior to program start-up, the City monitors and evaluates the sub-recipients
programmatic and fiscal management practices.
Sub-recipients are required to provide periodic reports on their achievement of contractual
objectives. These contracts are monitored on an annual basis. Staff conducts annual site
visits to ensure performance of program activities (programmatic as well as fiscal control.)
In addition, the Financial Services Unit reviews each request for payment. The program
monitors determine whether the sub-recipient’s program is on target and in compliance. A
final evaluation is performed at the end of the contract period.
Monitoring HOME Grant
In addition to the above reporting requirement, sub-recipients of HOME funds are
monitored as follows:
Number of Units
1-4
5-25
26 or more
Monitoring Schedule
Every 3 years
Every 2 years
Annually
Monitoring activities for rental developments include:





Verification that tenant income certifications are performed accurately at move-in
and annually.
Verification that income restrictions and rent restriction are met per HUD’s
guidelines.
Verification that the property is maintaining the unit mix specified in the project’s
application for funding.
Verification that routine maintenance is being performed and that the property
meets local property standards through performance of physical inspections.
Verification of lease protections and adherence to tenant selection criteria.
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City of Charlotte
In providing home-ownership assistance to eligible families, the City of Charlotte adheres to
the recapture provisions set out in the HOME regulations. These provisions will ensure that
each housing unit will remain affordable for a period of time determined by the following
schedule:
HOME Funds Provided
Less than $15,000
$15,000-$40,000
More than $40,000
Period of Affordability
5 years
10 years
15 years
In addition to program monitoring, Neighborhood & Business Services’ Compliance
Monitoring Unit conducts ongoing monitoring of all its financial partners to ensure
accountability, performance and compliance with CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA and other
federal, state and local grant requirements. The Compliance Monitoring Unit provides an indepth review and evaluation on factors that assess: governing board, staff capabilities,
fiscal/financial policies and practices, business and operational policies/practices and
regulatory/contract compliance. Financial partners are rated and scored on each factor as
Compliant (2.0), Needs Improvement (1.0) or Non-Compliant (0).
Financial partners that receive a Needs Improvement or Non-Compliant rating have a six to
twelve month follow-up visit conducted. Each financial partner is reviewed approximately
every three years. In addition, the overall average score of the financial partner determines
the City’s response to the review: Business Risk Analysis for continued funding (0-1.0),
Compliance Unit Intervention (1.0-1.5) and Staff Level Technical Assistance (1.5-1.99.)
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City of Charlotte
PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
CDBG
1. It is anticipated that program income will be received from the federally funded
programs as shown below:
 CDBG: $250,000
 HOME: $400,000
 EDRLF: $ 25,000
2. No program income was received in the preceding year that has not been included in a
statement or plan based on the following:
 CDBG: 0 Due to negative fund balance
 HOME: 0 Due to negative fund balance
3. There are no proceeds from Section 108 loan guarantees that will be used during the
year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in its strategic plan.
4. Surplus funds from any urban renewal settlement for community development and
housing activities. N/A
5. Any grant funds returned to the line of credit for which the planned use has not been
included in a prior statement or plan. N/A
6. Income from float-funded activities. N/A
7. Urgent need activities, only if the jurisdiction certifies. N/A
8. The estimated amount of CDBG funds that will be used for activities that benefit
persons of low- and moderate income is $4,603,833.
HOME
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Regional Consortium (CMRC) including the City of Charlotte as the
lead entity will engage in the following HOME activities:
1.
Describe other forms of investment. (See Section 92.205)
If grantee (PJ) plans to use HOME funds for homebuyers, did they state the guidelines of
resale or recapture, as required in 92.254.
The City of Charlotte will use the HUD recapture provisions as provided in 92.254. All
CHDO’s, subrecipients, and consortium members who administer HOME programs will
follow the resale/recapture provisions that have been adopted by the City.
2.
If grantee (PJ) plans to use HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by
multifamily housing that is being rehabilitated with HOME funds, state its refinancing
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guidelines required under 24 CFR 92.206(b). N/A
3.
Resale Provisions -- For homeownership activities, describe its resale or recapture
guidelines that ensure the affordability of units acquired with HOME funds? See 24 CFR
92.254(a)(4).
The City of Charlotte uses HOME Investment Partnership funds (HOME) for its House
Charlotte Program that provides downpayment assistance to income eligible
homebuyers as a direct subsidy and choses to comply with the recapture provisions of 24
CFR 92.254(a)(5)(ii) when providing this assistance. The City also provides funds to
Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) for single family development
activities and incorporates the resale provisions of 24 CFR 92.254(a)(5)(i) when providing
HOME funds in the form of a development subsidy for newly constructed home single
family homes, multifamily homes or to acquire, rehabilitate and sell existing homes.
As defined in the HOME regulations at 24 CFR Part 92, the Direct HOME subsidy is the
amount of HOME assistance including any program income that enabled the homebuyer
to buy the unit. The direct HOME subsidy includes downpayment, closing costs, interest
subsidies, or other HOME assistance provided directly to the homeowner.
Income-eligible person or family shall mean a person or family having an income at or
below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) according to the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock
Hill Metropolitan Area HUD income limit for family size. The City is targeting households
between sixty (60) and eighty (80) percent of area medium income to receive HOME
assistance.
The City of Charlotte plans to administer these HOME funded programs as follows:
House Charlotte Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance Program
The City of Charlotte has adopted the recapture provisions of 24 CFR 92.253(a)(5)(ii) and
shall provide income eligible homebuyers a deferred loan with an interest rate of 3% per
annum, secured by a promissory note and deed of trust on the property. The City has
also chosen to implement a reduction during the affordability period as allowed by 24
CFR 92.253(a)(5)(ii)(2). This means that the loan shall be forgiven as follows: No
payments are due to the City on the loan until the end of the sixth year of the loan.
Thereafter, 20% of the original principal balance will be forgiven each year until the
tenth (10th) year, at which time the loan (including all accrued interest) is forgiven.
To be eligible for this HOME assistance, the home must be single-family, modest
housing; be acquired by a low-income family as its principal residence, and continue to
meet these HOME requirements during the entire period of affordability based on the
amount of assistance and as indicated below:
HOME Funds
Less than $15,000
$15,000 - $40,000
More than $40,000
New Construction
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5 years
10 years
15 years
20 years
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City of Charlotte
During the term of the loan, the principal, together with interest at the rate of three (3)
percent per annum, will be immediately due and payable in full upon the occurrence of
any of the following events:
(a) Death of the borrower
(b) Default under any provisions of the note, deed of trust or first deed of trust on
the property
(c) Refinance or subordination of any loan superior to the HOME loan without
permission from the City.
(d) Disposition of the property secured by the HOME loan
(e) The property is no longer the principal residence of the borrower.
In the event of a sale of the property (voluntary or involuntary) during the period of
affordability, the City will recapture 100% of the HOME assistance if there are sufficient
net proceeds available. If there are no net proceeds or the net proceeds are insufficient
to repay the HOME investment due, the City will recapture the net proceeds, if any.
Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), Habitat and Consortium
Member Downpayment Assistance Program
The City will contract with its CHDOs acting as subrecipients or providing downpayment
assistance to purchasers of homes in their CHDO single family developments as well to
Habitat for Humanity and its Consortium Members to administer this downpayment
assistance program. The City of Charlotte has adopted the recapture provisions of 24
CFR 92.253(a)(5)(ii) and shall provide income eligible homebuyers, who do not utilize the
House Charlotte downpayment assistance program, a minimum loan of $1,000 as a
deferred loan with a zero percent interest rate, secured by a promissory note and deed
of trust on the property. The City will recapture the entire amount of the net proceeds if
the housing does not continue to be the principal residence of the family for the entire
duration of the period of affordability. Funds recaptured after the period of affordability
will be treated as program income, not CHDO proceeds, and the funds will be returned to
the City of Charlotte to be used for other eligible HOME activities. The period of
affordability, based on assistance with HOME funds, is the same as the House Charlotte
program.
CHDO Development Activities
The City also provides funds to CHDOs for single family development activities and
incorporates the resale provisions of 24 CFR 92.254(a)(5)(i) when providing HOME funds
in the form of a development subsidy for newly constructed home single family homes,
multifamily homes or to acquire, rehabilitate and sell existing homes. This HOME
funding is provided to CHDOs solely for development of the homes. Homebuyers can
apply for downpayment assistance through the House Charlotte Program or through the
CHDO/Habitat/Consortium Members as indicated above.
The City will provide HOME funds as a development subsidy with a zero percent interest
rate secured by deed restrictions or covenants running with the land. The homes will
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have an initial purchase price that does not exceed 95 percent of the median purchase
price for the Charlotte MSA.
The price at resale during the period of affordability will ensure a fair return on
investment to the homeowner. The City will calculate a fair return as the homebuyer’s
original investment (i.e., any downpayment), plus capital improvements. The value of
the capital improvements will be determined by using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
standard index over the period of ownership. A capital improvement is considered any
major enhancement that either “adds value to a property or prolongs its life”. Interior
changes such as painting and carpeting are not considered capital improvements for this
purpose. The CHDO will provide a list of examples of acceptable capital improvements,
identified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Capital Improvements Worksheet, to
each homebuyer at closing.
The City will ensure that the properties subject to resale remain affordable to a
reasonable range of low-income homebuyers. This range has been determined to be 6080% AMI for the area. The City will also make available downpayment assistance for
subsequent income eligible purchasers in order to maintain the affordability of the
properties.
4.
HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance -- Describe the local market conditions that led
to the use of HOME funds for tenant based rental assistance program.
If the tenant based rental assistance program is targeted to or provides a preference for a
special needs group, that group must be identified in the Consolidated Plan as having an unmet
need and show the preference is needed to narrow the gap in benefits and services received by
this population.
The City of Charlotte’s existing multi-family vacancy rate has improved between
February and September of 2013 from 6.2% to 5.2%. Multifamily rental housing
construction continues, however households earning 50% or less than the Area Median
Income still require subsidies lowering rents to below current market rates to make the
units affordable. Utilizing the tenant-based rental assistance program increases
affordable rental housing as set forth as one of the City’s housing priorities.
The City provides tenant-based rental assistance through partnerships with several
agencies. The program provides intensive life-skills support from social workers, a
connection to local faith groups and assistance through Hope Team volunteers and a
monthly rental subsidy for an affordable apartment. CFH partners with working
families that are homeless or near homeless and earning 15 percent to 50 percent of the
Area Median Income (AMI). The Consolidated Plan identifies housing for persons
earning less than 30% of AMI as a priority. In FY2015 this program is projected to assist
up to 75 households.
The City also collaborates with Mecklenburg County to provide tenant-based rental
assistance. This program is projected to assist up to 35 households earning 40% and
below the area median income in FY2015.
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In FY2015, the City will continue to partner with the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, Charlotte
Family Services and Salvation Army to provide tenant-based rental assistance. This
program is projected to assist up to 125 households.
5.
If a participating jurisdiction intends to use forms of investment other than those
described in 24 CFR 92.205(b), describe these forms of investment. N/A
6.
Describe the policy and procedures it will follow to affirmatively market housing
containing five or more HOME-assisted units.
Recognizing the importance of fair housing practices for Charlotte residents, the City of
Charlotte will continues its efforts to ensure that fair housing practices are employed
throughout its jurisdiction.
The following provides an outline of the City requirements in ensuring fair housing
procedures are in the place of the HOME program:

The City of Charlotte will provide Fair Housing information through CharlotteMecklenburg Community Relation Committee (Fair Housing Program) and
Neighborhood & Business Services.

The City of Charlotte will use the Equal Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan in
press releases and other written communication publicizing current and future
HOME projects.

Charlotte –Mecklenburg Regional Consortium members agree to affirmatively
further fair housing within their respective jurisdictions and that any Consortium
member that does not affirmatively further fair housing within its ownjurisdiction
shall be prohibited from receiving HOME funds.

The City of Charlotte will communicate its Affirmative Marketing requirements to
potential HOME program participants and funding recipients.

Failure to follow these requirements and report to the City of Charlotte annually will
result in notification and suggested corrective action. Continued non-compliance will
trigger sanctions up to and including disqualification from future participation in
HOME funded programs.
The following provides an outline of requirements that the owner must adhere to when using
HOME funds:

Any person who qualifies for housing under City of Charlotte’s established HOME
income guideline must have the right to be considered for a HOME-assisted unit in
accordance with Fair Housing regulations. Preferences may be given to defined
population in special needs housing units such as the elderly, homeless or physically
disabled.
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City of Charlotte

Owners must display the fair housing poster in rental/sales offices and use the Equal
Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan in advertising.

Owners of rental property will contact local assisted housing providers, job-links
centers, and community relation committee, and referral agencies and may make
use of commercial media advertising to fill vacancies in HOME –assisted rental units.
- Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing compliance will be documented by
maintaining data on the following:
 Notification dates of vacancies to the City’s Neighborhood & Business





Services Housing Services Division.
Notification dates of vacancies to other housing referral agencies.
Copies of newspaper advertisements.
Race, ethnicity, income and gender of applicants for tenancy.
Race, ethnicity, income and gender of actual tenants.
Owners or housing non-profits offering sale/lease property will contact housing
counseling agencies, other housing non-profits, lenders, and realtors, and may make
use of commercial media advertising to find potential homeowners or leasepurchase candidates.
- Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing compliance will be documented by
maintaining the following:
 Notification dates of availability to other housing service agencies, which





could include housing counseling agencies, housing non-profits lenders
and realtors.
Copies of newspaper advertisements and distributed information.
Race, ethnicity, income and gender of applicants applying to purchase
housing units.
Race, ethnicity, income and gender of actual purchasers of housing units.
Owners/investors, non-profits will provide information on how to apply for
housing through their programs, on at least an annual basis, to local
community organization, places of worship, employment centers, fair
housing groups, and/or housing counseling agencies.
Data in contacted organizations (what organization, when contacted,
etc…)
Non-compliance of the above listed requirements (by owners/investors) will
trigger sanctions up to and including disqualification from future
participation in HOME funded programs.
7.
Describe actions taken to establish and oversee a minority outreach program within its jurisdiction
to ensure inclusion, to the maximum extent possible, of minority and women, and entities owned by
minorities and women, including without limitation, real estate firms, construction firms, appraisal
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firms, management firms, financial institutions, investment banking firms, underwriters,
accountants, and providers of legal services, in all contracts, entered into by the participating
jurisdiction with such persons or entities, public and private, in order to facilitate the activities of the
participating jurisdiction to provide affordable housing under the HOME program or any other
Federal housing law applicable to such jurisdiction.
To increase the use of minority and women owned business for federally funded activities, the City of
Charlotte conducts the following activities:



8.
Posts contract opportunities, requests for proposals or bid package availability on City
websites for small / minority/women businesses.
Maintains and updates a list of small/minority/women businesses.
Administers a Small Business Opportunity (SBO) program.
If a jurisdiction intends to use HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily
housing that is rehabilitated with HOME funds, state its financing guidelines required under
24 CFR 92.206(b). N/A
OTHER NARRATIVES
Public Forums
The development of the FY2015 Action Plan is a collaborative effort of Charlotte citizens, nonprofit organizations and City Staff. Preparation for the Action Plan began in January 2014.
In January and February 2014, a total of three citizen participation forums were held to inform
the community and City’s partners about the upcoming Action Plan process and timeline for
completion. Representatives from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing Consortium were invited
to participate in a public forum.
Staff placed advertisements in local English and Spanish newspapers to inform the community
of dates for the public forums and the public comment opportunity at a City Council Business
Meeting.
Public notices of the Draft FY2015 Action Plan’s availability were placed in local English and
Spanish newspapers in February 2014.
Copies of the draft plan were placed in public libraries, at the CHA, Neighborhood & Business
Services office (Old City Hall), and online at
http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/nbs/housing/Pages/default.aspx for the public to review and
to provide comments.
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