Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation

How it works

Pitt County’s Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation program helps lower-income homeowners make essential repairs to their homes. The county says the goal is to help residents remain safely in their homes, preserve affordable housing, and strengthen neighborhood stability.

The county partners with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and qualified private contractors. Work is completed through a competitive bid process.

What the money covers

The county says the program can support repairs needed to make a home safe, healthy, and livable. The county’s grant guidelines mention repair needs that address health and safety hazards, including:

• Failing roofs
• Unsafe flooring
• Accessibility improvements

The page also says the program can fund major and minor home repairs through its grant programs.

Program types

The county lists these funded programs under the housing rehabilitation umbrella:

• Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation (ESFR): for critical repairs needed to make homes safe, healthy, and livable. The county says the home must be real property and capable of being brought up to the ESFR property standard within the budget available. It says this grant is funded every three years and typically serves up to two homes per cycle.
• Urgent Repair Program (URP): for major and minor home repairs that address health and safety hazards. The county says funding is available annually and typically supports around ten homes each year.

How to apply

Homeowners must first join the mailing list to receive an invitation to the annual information session. The county says applications are only handed out at that session. After receiving an application, applicants must submit it by the stated deadline with all required documents.

The county says it reviews documents in the fall and schedules a home assessment and inspection the following spring for eligible applicants. Approved homeowners are placed on a waiting list and served based on severity of need and funding availability.

Important rules

The county says grant programs follow strict eligibility and compliance guidelines. Homes must have one or more substandard conditions but still be suitable for rehabilitation. Homes that are dilapidated or beyond feasible economic repair are not eligible.