Greensboro is putting more money on the table to help the city’s renters become homeowners.
The city announced this week that it’s increasing funding for its Homebuyer Assistance Program by $500,000 – bringing new life to an initiative that’s already helped dozens of local families.
The program, which was launched with a $1 million infusion of American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2022, is designed to help first-time buyers with incomes of up to 120 percent of the area median income get a home of their own.
Under the original plan, each eligible buyer could get $10,000 in down payment and cost assistance with the goal of helping 100 households. Now, the city is doubling the maximum assistance amount to $20,000.
City officials say the extra half-million in ARPA funds should help more than 50 first-time home buyers get their foot in the door, quite literally.
But that’s not all. Greensboro is also sweetening the deal for certain groups: Low-income buyers will see an extra $10,000 in support, and “public service heroes” – such as teachers, first responders and healthcare workers – will get an additional $5,000.
Those purchasing homes in targeted redevelopment or reinvestment areas could receive as much as $30,000 in total assistance.
“This increase will allow the low-income buyers to be more competitive in a tight housing market and continues Greensboro’s dedication to prioritizing support for our low-income buyers and geographic target areas,” said Cynthia Blue, assistant director of housing and strategy for the city.
The assistance is part of the City of Greensboro’s larger effort to boost affordable homeownership and shift more residents from renting to owning, even as housing prices and competition increase.
You can find more information about the program – and learn how to apply – at www.greensboro-nc.gov/HomebuyerAssistance.
How is this helpful? The city and Guilford county are about to run current homeowners into having to sell their current property because of increasing taxes. It may seem like a good idea, however, they will abandon you if you can’t keep up your property taxes. It’s just to expensive to live here period! Unless they do something for those who are struggling to keep up, it will become a cycle of poverty thanks to the city and county.
Best,
The LEFT wants us subserviant to the Govt: local, state, & national. They want CONTROL of all but the well-placed (who will be in control).
Personally, we are both in retirement. We are having to go into our savings more & more, month by month. Reducing our property taxes a lot by moving to Randolph County has slowed the drain down, but not stopped it.
Digital currency will end our independence & privacy all by itself. If AI doesn’t do it by itself, or complete erosion of our 2nd amendment (which also will do it).
There is nowhere to hide. My long-gone grandfather told me “if you have too much, the govt will take it from you”.
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Exactly right, Miller !
growing urban centers with amenities require residents with high income jobs to buy the expensive urban housing. consider selling a big home designed for growing families & downsize to a less expensive suburb, exurb(my new word!), county, state or country.
Right you are Carrie B.
The current generation of potential home buyers is not interested in becoming homeowners. They don’t put any skin in the game. It’s too much trouble to own, and maintain, a home, besides they would be required to pay property taxes, some of the highest in the state. All they will leave behind is their unpaid bills, including their student loans. The same applies to their attitude towards voting. No skin in the game no need to vote. That’s how Skippy has been on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners for 27 years and has had our destiny in his hands.
ARE YOU BETTER OFF NOW THAN BEFORE THE LATEST COUNTY AND CITY ELECTIONS?
American believer,
Get on that stump and preach on brother!
Just be careful you don’t make yourself too big a target.
because the ‘game’ is ‘whack a mole’ !
You have any facts to back that up or is that one of those ‘I thunk it so it mus be troo’ conservative rants?
Last I checked, Guilford county / Greensboro city combined rate didn’t make top ten for combined city/county tax property tax rates. While the county is 12th highest, I think, it is in close range to other comparable counties.
All my kids and their friends still dream of owning a home but interest rates, price increases and lack of job stability make it far more difficult to own a home than it was back in the 80s when you likely bought a home.
Are you just a youth hater throwing stones at kids form your porch as you suffer the life you created? or do you have any real source behind your ugly comment?
many (most) first time home buyers get $ help from relatives: aka ‘generational wealth’ but they have to ‘toe the line’ to get it. i like how this works & advances ‘culture’ sans guvmnt.
WRONG!
Mortgage rates today are half what they were in the 80’s, and inflation is much lower.
” You thunk it, so it must be troo?”….. right?
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You’re funny, buddy. You should be a comedian, liberal boy.
Check the average price of home.to average income and then come back…..
Check your facts before you promote your puke.
And be big enough to admit it when you’re wrong – for once.
Too afraid to check? Lol.
Too afraid to check? Lol.
Let me help you work past your fear:
For North Carolina, the average number of days to work to purchase a home in 1980 compared to 2025 are as follows:
* 1980: With an average annual salary of $14,117 and an average home price of $36,900, it would have taken approximately 679.61 working days to purchase a home.
* 2025: With an average annual salary of $61,798 and an average home price of $395,600, it would take approximately 1,664.39 working days to purchase a home.
Similar to the national trend, it would take significantly more working days to purchase a home in North Carolina in 2025 compared to 1980.
Can you handle the percent change all by yourself?
Why don’t you just admit you were wrong? Your desperation to avoid admitting it tells us a lot about you. You must be deeply insecure.
Mortgage rates in the 80’s were about twice today’s rates, and so was inflation. Those are just the facts. Don’t try digging up some spurious obscure data to save face.
Just admit it. You were completely wrong.
You can’t do it, can you? Now I know why everyone calls you a wanker.
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And don’t even try to insult my intelligence and ability in math. You might recall that it was me who pointed out to the Editor that if properties that are currently valued at 68% of true value, and it was to be corrected to 100%, this amounted to a 47% tax hike, not 32%. Remember that?
I bet my math skills are way, way, better than yours, You should have left out the personal insult, but that too tells us a lot about you….
You’re a real a-hole, aren’t you?
This from someone who does not live in the city or the county.
Further proves what a joke he is.
Socialism continues to grow. NYC must be a sister city to Greensboro. Waiting on the next county and city tax rape.
What means of production is Greensboro trying to take over? Oh right, you don’t actually know the definition of socialism, you just use it as a scary word to express anger at things not going your way. Go it.
Sure enough then how about a little help for long time tax payers?
The thinking is you are benefiting from the increase growth in equity for home repairs, upgrades, etc…. Renters don’t get that benefit so a little leg up helps.
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I think it’s abhorrent when government discriminates among citizens, favoring select groups and therefore discriminating against everyone else.
Why are teachers, cops and other “heroes” being given big financial favors when the self-employed, small business owners, and young families are getting sweet FA ( British slang for Sweet F**K All).? We pay the taxes that support these “heroes”.
Leftists like to portray themselves as champions of the ordinary people – but it’s a lie. If it were true , they would work to repeal the regulations, rules, restrictions, requirements, and red tape that make building cheap houses impossible.
They refuse to do that because they want the power that comes with being able to pick favorites, and in truth, because they want the poor to come to them as supplicants, so that they can feel like heroes and saints.
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The last thing Leftists want is independent people who don’t need government.
It would make them irrelevant.
as populations get denser interactions & conflicts increase requiring more regulators & regulations. consider becoming an ‘outlier’ as a hunter gatherer in their egalitarian bands & suffer their standard of living.
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???
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I think it makes perfect sense that government targets benefits and services to those that need them the most. Senior citizens with Medicare, young adults with financial aid for school, families with children tax credits and public health for the disable and mentally ill or food aid for people working in low wage jobs where their employer doesn’t pay a living wage.
Leftists portray themselves as Christians following the message of Christ to help those in need. You know, the thing conservatives profess to be doing…but never seem to actually do…
But you be you and only worry about what YOU are getting.
I get nothing from government.
I GIVE a lot to government.
And THAT is all you care about. Got it. You dont drive roads, you dont have police and fire protection, the community to live in supports education and health of all members of the community so our economy stays strong, you have parks, entertainment, and museums. Infrastructure to support jobs for bemefit of the local economy..and services thst help the less fortunate so they dont have to sleep in your front-yard.
Maybe if you opened your eyes little blind mice, you.might see you receive more than you think.
But you be you.
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I bet I “support the community” more than you do, you little wanker.
As I pointed out earlier Austin, how can someone who doesn’t live in the city or county preach to us how to act.
Oh I forgot, it’s the All Knowing All powerful Chris.
u are naive.
And u are uh jeanius…..
I listened to Tucker Carlson talking about the real American dream, which is homeownership and how young people ages 25-37 can’t afford homes. While I’m not a Tucker Carlson fan I recognize facts and truth. When young couples can’t afford a home their less likely to have children and love their country. Helping 1st time homebuyers makes sense and is beneficial for the country.
Gregory I agree with you 100% but my concern is being able to afford a home, pay the upkeep, taxes and maintain it is a totally different matter. You’re talking about an age demographic that most of which can’t make change, balance a checkbook or create a budget.
Home ownership changes people, when I brought my first home, I told mother I don’t how in the hell I’m going to pay for this. When my son brought his home at age 30, he said dad I don’t know how in the hell I’m going to pay for this, I laughed he said what’s so funny I said those exact same words to my mother. I taught my children nothing of value comes without hard work and struggle.
generational wealth is key in every affluent society. it was created with ‘hard work & struggle'(war). hunter gatherers don’t have mortgages but . . .
‘home’ ownership is becoming ‘unit’ ownership in high density populations with proliferation of ‘storage’ units. parking access should be rent/sold separately ?
Geez Chris… you leave the city and county because of Skippy and his taxes. Your words. Glad you are a Christian.