City, nonprofits offer plan to aid the homeless

ARRA Economic Recovery Projects

Weatherization To Serve 975 Homes In 2010

Four-County has received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which will enable us to perform weatherization services on 975 homes by the end of next year. Under this program, we will be able to expend an increased amount ($4000 per house) to make the homes more energy efficient. The ARRA Weatherization Assistance Program also allowed us to create 11 new positions: three Energy Auditors, seven Energy Outreach Specialists, and one Energy Office Assistant. The En-ergy Auditors work in all seven of the counties, while one Energy Outreach Specialist is as-signed to work in each of the counties.

Grant will support the efforts of the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

 WILMINGTON, N.C. – United Way of the Cape Fear Area has received a $50,000 grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation to fund a dedicated SOAR caseworker position.  That caseworker will represent chronically homeless people in applying for Social Security disability benefits, SSI and Medicare.

Two Wilmington green businesses are among 18 in North Carolina to receive federal recovery funds to support green and alternative energy technologies and products.

Reuters
NEW YORK - High U.S. unemployment keeps pushing up the rate of mortgage delinquencies, which could in turn drive personal bankruptcies and home foreclosures, monthly data from the Equifax Inc credit bureau showed on Monday.

Among U.S. homeowners with mortgages, a record 7.58 percent were at least 30 days late on payments in August, up from 7.32 percent in July, according to the data obtained exclusively by Reuters.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has signed into law a measure giving North Carolinians new protections against foreclosures and intimidating debt collection practices. Once the new law takes effect next month, it will allow a clerk of court to postpone a foreclosure hearing for up to 60 days to allow a homeowner more time to work out a payment plan with the mortgage holder and remain in their home. "During this recession, thousands of North Carolinians have lost their homes because of foreclosure," Perdue said. "When a home is foreclosed it's bad for our families, it's bad for our communities, it's bad for our businesses and it's bad for North Carolina. This bill makes it easier for homeowners to work out a deal with their lenders and avoid foreclosure." The measure, approved by lawmakers last month, was backed by Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Developers of affordable rental and for-sale housing are often frustrated by the opposition of neighborhood groups.  Their complaints range from traffic impacts to fears that housing which is affordable to lower-income families will reduce surrounding property values to concerns, often unsubstantiated, that crime will increase.  These opponents are vocal and influential with zoning officials who are asked to provide entitlements to permit the development of affordable housing.   The result of successful opposition to affordable projects in middle and upper income neighborhoods is a concentration of affordable housing in high poverty neighborhoods.

On August 28, 2009, Governor Purdue, to the surprise of many observers, signed  Session Law 2009-533  which provides a strong impetus for local elected and zoning officials to allow affordable housing to be developed in spite of neighborhood opposition.

The vacant Nesbitt Court on Carolina Beach Road recently received funds from the American Recovery and Investment Act for possible demolition, according to Wilmington Housing Authority officials. The former government housing community received $3.06 million with $1.4 million going towards demolition and $850,000 set aside for new structures. Other funds are for hiring an outside commercial realty agent to sell the property. The two options are not contradictions, as the Authority is “pursuing parallel tracks,” according to Authority Chief Operating Officer Adrian Early.

“Right now our board has told us to weigh the options,” Early said.

The funds from the American Recovery and Investment Act must be spent within three years and also includes improvements to Hillcrest and Houston Moore. Also, $300,000 from the grant is for public housing consultants to advise the Authority how to plan best for growth.