Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program provides relief for homeowners impacted by property revaluation

Orange County's new Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program (LHAP) provides property tax bill assistance to assist households affected by the 2021 countywide property revaluation.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners initiated the LHAP on June 15, 2021, by allocating $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to . To qualify, homeowners must:

Live in Orange County;
Have lived in their home for at least 10 years;
Have experienced an increase in property taxes due to the 2021 tax revaluation; and
Earn no more than 80% of the area median income (see income chart below).

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2021. Applications are available on-line or via paper.

Online Application Portal: orangecountynchousing.submittable.com/submit

Paper Applications: Pick up a paper application at the Orange County Housing and Community Development Department offices:

Hillsborough Office: 300 West Tryon Street, 3rd Floor, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Chapel Hill Office: 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Completed paper applications can be dropped in the drop boxes outside of the Housing and Community Development offices or mailed to:

Orange County Housing and Community Development
P.O. Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278

Housing Helpline staff can help people complete and submit applications and to give information on the supporting documentation needed. Call 919-245-2655 or email HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov.

For more information about the LHA Program, visit the webpage https://www.orangecountync.gov/2813/Longtime-Homeowner-Assistance-Program.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the library is hosting a Social Distanced Film Festival. Check out films that explore the lives of and the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples from across the Americas. Visit OrangeCountyLibrary.org to see the list.

Check out these lists for materials related to Native American Heritage Month from the Orange County Library

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Orange County Library has created reading lists with age-appropriate materials.

Orange County Recreation offers pre-school academies in December

The Orange County Recreation Division is offering pre-school academies for children ages 3-5 to help them prepare for the transition to a school environment. The month-long academies meet twice a week and are offered in virtual and in-person formats.

Preschool Academy is the perfect classroom for your little ones. Our curriculum-based learning uses age-appropriate activities to teach students numbers, letters, colors, rhythm, and science. Based on the weekly theme, students will partake in a wide variety of activities each day.

Orange County, Carrboro and Chapel Hill outside agencies funding process opens

Each year, Orange County, the Town of Carrboro and the Town of Chapel Hill invite program funding requests from nonprofit providers (outside agencies) to support delivery of vital community services. The County and Towns administer a common application with separate evaluation processes.

"Outside agencies play a crucial role in providing services to county residents," said Renee Price, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. "We rely on non-profit organizations to help fill the gaps and deliver life-enhancing programs for our families and communities to assure safe, healthy and nurturing living environments."

The total Outside Agency budget for FY2021-22 is $1.72 million, which is consistent with the goal established by the Board of County Commissioners to allocate 1.2% of general fund expenses, not including education, to outside agencies.

Each quarter, agencies must report their performance objectives and provide financial receipts in order to receive funding disbursements, as outlined in funding applications and Scope of Services Performance Agreement.

For more detailed information, please visit the Funding Process page. The application deadline is Jan. 13, 2022.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a lower dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all children 5–11 get the vaccine to protect against serious illness and help keep them healthy.

Boosters for All Vaccines Available Now

To strengthen and extend protections against severe illness, North Carolinians who have been fully vaccinated with the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines may now be eligible to receive a booster dose.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have authorized and recommended booster vaccine shots to provide continued protection.

Moderna: If you were vaccinated more than 6 months ago with the Moderna COVID-19 shot, boosters are now available for people 65 years or older or people 18 years or older who:

live or work in a nursing home or long-term care facility
have underlying medical conditions; or
who work in high-risk settings like healthcare workers, teachers and childcare providers or food workers.
live or work in a place where many people live together (for example, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, migrant farm housing, dormitories or other group living settings in colleges or universities).

The Moderna booster is a smaller dose than what is given in the first two shots. Be sure to let your provider know you want the booster.

Johnson & Johnson: It is recommended that anyone 18 or older who was vaccinated more than two months ago with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get a booster dose.

Pfizer: Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) booster shots continue to be available to anyone at high risk for serious illness or exposure and who received their second dose at least six months ago.

To find a COVID-19 booster visit MySpot.nc.gov to search vaccine locations near you.

Animal Services needs homes for working barn cats

Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) needs to find homes for cats that are part of their Working Barn Cat initiative. These cats are currently housed at the Animal Services Center in Chapel Hill, NC, and they are not quite social enough to be adopted through the regular adoption program. However, these cats would likely make great working cats if you have a barn, stable, or other structure that could use hard-working felines.

Adopting a working cat may be an effective way of controlling the rodent population in a structure or area while providing a safe home for a cat that is not social enough to be adopted to an indoor household. Working cats will be sterilized and fully vaccinated before going to their new homes. They will also come with general care instructions and recommendations for helping them to adapt to their new space on an adopter’s property. For more information on what adopters need to provide for these cats, please review this document.

"This is a way to offer these cats a second chance for a natural life," said Orange County Animal Services Director, Dr. Sandra Strong. "We want to do everything we can to ensure the best possible outcome for any animal that enters our shelter. This life-saving program is a major step towards achieving that goal."

If anyone is interested in adopting a working cat, please call the OCAS adoption desk at 919-942-7387, menu option 3.

Home for the Holidays pet adoption graphic

Medicare's Open Enrollment Period ends Dec. 7

Medicare plans change each calendar year. Your medication costs can increase significantly if your plan changes its drug list and pricing as of Jan 1. Many people save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by switching plans, but most can only change during Medicare's Open Enrollment Period. The Orange County Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides free and unbiased assistance.

Meet with a certified counselor for an Annual Medicare Review. We will be offering in-person appointments at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill and the Passmore Center in Hillsborough as well as online using Zoom Video Chat. We begin scheduling appointments for Open Enrollment on Oct. 5. Schedule online at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare or call 919-245-4274.

Volunteer Opportunities with Department on Aging

The Handy Helpers Program is Recruiting New Members!
Handy Helpers enable older adults to stay in their homes by providing high-quality, volunteer/pro-bono repairs of minor maintenance issues for those unable to afford to complete repairs on their own. Volunteers perform small maintenance jobs (less than three hours), such as changing light bulbs, fixing a broken screen, unclogging plumbing, patching minor leaks, and installing smoke detectors. Volunteers must be willing to undergo background checks for this position.

Telephone Reassurance Volunteers Needed
Volunteers make telephone calls to local older adults, providing reassurance and a check on their status, safety, and comfort. Volunteers are trained to provide phone calls and commit to making calls once per week (recipients receive daily calls Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 – 10 a.m.) or serve as a substitute for regular callers as needed.

If you are interested in becoming a Handy Helper or Telephone Reassurance Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.

Upcoming activities at the Orange County Senior Centers

Holiday Card Party
Don’t put off addressing your holiday cards another day. Begin the season with others as you enjoy holiday music and address your cards to your friends and family. You will need to bring your address book and cards. If you have already mailed your cards and have time to spare, we have cards ready to address that will be mailed to community members. Min: 3/Max: 10
Date: Friday, Dec. 3.
Time: 10 a.m. – Noon
Location: Passmore Center, 103 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough
Phone: 919-245-2015
Activity Code: 244007-01
Fee: FREE
Register by: Wednesday, Nov. 24

Pearl Harbor Remembrance
In honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we will be showing "Pearl Harbor," which is the story of two friends caught in the horror of an infamous Sunday morning in 1941. Min: 5/Max: 30.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 7.
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Passmore Center, 103 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough
Phone: 919-245-2015
Activity Code: 253015-12
Fee: FREE
Register by: Tuesday, Nov. 30

Tis the Season Holiday Concert and Dinner
Back by popular demand, Paula Snyder and her daughter, Amber Smith, bring you wonderful sounds of the holidays! They will sing a variety of holiday hits, Christmas carols, pop songs, Chanukah, Folk songs, and much more. After the performance you will receive a delicious meal to-go. Min: 15/Max: 22.

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 8.
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Location: Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
Phone: 919-968-2070
Activity Code 313049-02
Fee: FREE
Register by: Wednesday, Dec. 1

How to find the Orange County library graphic

Weigh in on the region's transportation future

The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization is updating the region's long-range plan, the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The agency will use the public input received on the draft plan, called the Preferred Option, to identify where roadway, public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian, and other transportation investments will be needed in the coming decades.

The Preferred Option for the 2050 MTP deemphasizes highway widenings and provides greater support for public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian, and highway modernization investments to meet the region’s climate and equity goals.

Residents and other stakeholders are asked to review the Preferred Option on the DCHC MPO website and provide comments by email no later than Tuesday, Dec. 7. Residents can also speak directly to the DCHC MPO Board at an online public hearing on November 10 at 9 a.m.

www.orangecountync.gov