Buncombe County ends homeowner grants, launches general assistance program

Buncombe County ended its Homeowner Grant program July 1 and replaced it with a new General Assistance Program that residents can apply for starting the same day. The county says people should review the eligibility rules before filing, and the change shifts help away from a homeowner-only grant toward a broader hardship program.

That matters for households that had used the old grant to stay current on property taxes, mortgage payments or homeowners insurance. County records show the Homeowner Grant Program was created in 2021 through a resolution approved by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners with the Town of Woodfin, which makes its discontinuation a clear break from a program some residents had come to treat as a specific safety valve.

The new program is aimed at people with limited income who need help with their primary residence. A county summary says it is meant for short-term financial hardship, and county emergency-assistance materials describe general assistance as crisis help when other resources are unavailable. Another county summary says households may qualify for up to $500 if they are at or below 130% of the federal poverty level, or $350 if they are between 131% and 200% of poverty. The funds can go toward housing or utility bills and are paid directly to landlords or utility providers.

Buncombe County Public Assistance and Economic Services says its broader system also includes job training, employment services, food assistance, health care coverage, energy assistance and other support designed to help low-income individuals and families move toward self-sufficiency. In practice, the July 1 switch puts homeowners, renters and other residents facing sudden bills into a single county assistance structure rather than a narrower property-help program.

The timing is important in a county still managing Hurricane Helene recovery. Buncombe County’s Helene resources remain active, and the Helene Resource Center continues to connect residents with FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and disaster case management. A 2026 report said Helene damaged 11,488 homes and destroyed 372 in Buncombe County, while more than 100 people in the county were still homeless after the storm. In that setting, the county’s new aid rules will shape who gets help quickly and who has to navigate a harder application path.

The change also arrives after commissioners adopted the FY2027 budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, following a projected budget gap. For Buncombe County residents trying to cover a bill or keep a roof overhead, the practical question now is whether the new General Assistance Program opens a door that the old homeowner grant did not, or whether the county has simply changed the path to the same limited help.