Energy & Housing Repair Programs
Contractors : Procurement & Disbursement Policy
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
The Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income North Carolinians save energy, reduce their utility bills, and stay safe in their homes, prioritizing the elderly, the disabled, families with children, high energy users, and the energy burdened. Its mission is to keep North Carolinians warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and safe all year long while educating the public about energy efficiency and household safety. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality administers the Weatherization Assistance Program with annual funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and additional federal funding allocations.
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In 2021, over $22.6 million in federal grants allowed more than 1,100 homes to be weatherized and more than 900 heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units in homes to be repaired or replaced throughout the state, including CARES Act funds that supplemented other energy efficiency projects for over 700 low-income households. The program also creates job opportunities in communities where weatherization services are offered because it relies on plumbers, electricians, heating and cooling, and general contractors, among others.
Urgent Repair Program (URP)
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency makes Urgent Repair Program funds available to qualified organizations during each funding cycle to finance emergency home repairs and modifications for low-income homeowners with special needs. Nonprofit organizations, local governments and regional councils of governments can use the funds to provide deferred, forgiven loans of up to $15,000 to qualified homeowners for emergency repairs.
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Four Square Community Action (FSCA) has been awarded $154,000 by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (“NCHFA”) under the 2026 cycle of the Urgent Repair Program (“URP26”). The Urgent Repair Program (URP) finances emergency home repairs for North Carolina homeowners who are elderly or have special needs and whose incomes are below 50% of the median for their area. Emergency repairs correct housing conditions that threaten your life or safety, such as leaking roofs, failing septic systems, dangerous heating systems or rotten floors. The program can also pay for accessibility modifications that allow you to remain in your home after an injury or serious illness. If you are approved, you could receive assistance in the form of an interest-free, deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 a year to pay for necessary repairs. A total of at least 10 households will be assisted under URP24 throughout the four county service area.
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To be eligible for assistance under URP26 applicants:
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must reside within one of the four county limits of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, or Swain and own and occupy the home in need of repair.
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must have a household income which does not exceed 50% of the Statewide median income for the household size (see URP24 Assistance Policy for income limits))
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must have a special need:
a) be elderly, > 62 years old
b) handicapped or disabled
c) a single parent with a dependent living at home
d) a Veteran, a large family with >5 household members
e) a household with a child below the age of six with lead hazards in the home
4. must have urgent repair needs, which cannot be met through other state or federally funded housing assistance programs.
Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP)
Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP) funds are available to qualified organizations during each funding cycle to finance moderate home rehabilitations for low- and moderate-income homeowners who are elderly or have other special needs. The Agency serves 33–34 counties annually on a three-year rotating basis, pending the availability of HOME program funds.
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What is the Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool?
Four Square Community Action has been awarded Membership by the North
Carolina Housing Finance Agency ("NCHFA") under the:
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2024 Cycle of the Essential SingleFamily Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP}. This program provides Members with funds via a "loan pool" to assist with the rehabilitation of moderately deteriorated homes that are owned and occupied by lower-income, special need households.
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2027 Cycle of the Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool ("ESFRLP"). This program provides Members with funds via a "loan pool" to assist with the rehabilitation of moderately deteriorated homes that are owned and occupied by lower-income, special need households.
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ESFRLP assists eligible households by facilitating aging in place, meeting minimum housing code requirements, promoting long-term affordability, lowering operating costs, and stabilizing pre-1978 homes that include children aged 6 or under whose health is threatened by the presence of lead hazards.
For the 2024 Cycle of the
Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool - Swain County
Four Square Community Action has been allocated an initial set-aside of $162,000 which it plans to apply toward the rehabilitation of three houses in Swain County. After demonstrating successful use of this allocation, Four Square Community Action may access additional funds, when available, on a unit-by-unit basis from the ESFRLP loan pool to assist additional homes.
The ESFRLP24-Swain Assistance Policy describes who is eligible for assistance under ESFRLP, how applications for assistance will be ranked, what the terms of assistance are, and how the rehabilitation process will be managed. Four Square Community Action has designed the ESFRLP project to be fair, open and consistent with its approved application for funding and with ESFRLP Program Guidelines.
The funds provided by NCHFA come from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Assistance for construction-related costs (hard costs) will be provided as no interest, no payment loans which are forgiven at the rate of $8,000 per year. Non-construction-related costs (soft costs including lead/asbestos inspections/clearances, radon testing and environmental reviews) will be provided in the form of a grant.
For the 2024 Cycle of the
Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation loan Pool - Graham County
Four Square Community Action has been allocated an initial set-aside of $162,000 which it plans to apply toward the rehabilitation of three houses in Graham County. After demonstrating successful use of this allocation, Four Square Community Action may access additional funds, when available, on a unit-by-unit basis from the ESFRLP loan pool to assist additional homes.
The ESFRLP-Graham Assistance Policy describes who is eligible for assistance under ESFRLP, how applications for assistance will be ranked, what the terms of assistance are, and how the rehabilitation process will be managed. Four Square Community Action has designed the ESFRLP project to be fair, open and consistent with its approved application for funding and with ESFRLP Program Guidelines.
The funds provided by NCHFA come from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Assistance for construction-related costs (hard costs) will be provided as no interest, no payment loans which are forgiven at the rate of $8,000 per year. Non-construction-related costs (soft costs including lead/asbestos inspections/clearances, radon testing and environmental reviews) will be provided in the form of a grant.
For the 2025- 2027 Cycle of the
Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool – Cherokee County
Four Square Community Action has been allocated an initial set-aside of $182,000 which it plans to apply toward the rehabilitation of three houses in Cherokee County. After demonstrating successful use of this allocation, Four Square Community Action may access additional funds, when available, on a unit-by-unit basis from the ESFRLP loan pool to assist additional homes.
The ESFRLP27-Cherokee Assistance Policy describes who is eligible for assistance under ESFRLP, how applications for assistance will be ranked, what the terms of assistance are, and how the rehabilitation process will be managed. Four Square Community Action has designed the ESFRLP project to be fair, open and consistent with its approved application for funding and with ESFRLP Program Guidelines.
The funds provided by NCHFA come from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Assistance for construction-related costs (hard costs) will be provided as no interest, no payment loans which are forgiven at the rate of $14,000 per year. Non-construction-related costs (soft costs including lead/asbestos inspections/clearances, radon testing and environmental reviews) will be provided in the form of a grant.
