Haywood County was recently awarded another substantial grant to help address the affordable housing crisis, but the way the county plans to use the grant means its impact will be felt far into the future.

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority created its own Tourism Capital Project Fund  this year. However, when the deadline came around for the first cycle of funding on Aug. 1, no applications had been submitted.

An unexpected $8 million windfall from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has the potential to help community stakeholders make significant progress in the fight to bring more affordable housing to Haywood County.

A recent federal grant award for the Preventing School Violence initiative was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice to the Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Alliance in partnership with Haywood County Schools and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. 

Jackson County Economic Development and Chamber of Commerce have created the N.C. 107 Business Relocation Grant program for businesses that are forced to move due to the N.C. 107 expansion project.

Although the indirect benefits of the unprecedented tourism boom that’s enveloped Haywood County over the past few years are readily apparent in the form of increased sales taxes and steady work for hospitality industry professionals, locals are finally about to get something out of it besides soaring housing costs and crowded attractions.

The biggest knock against North Carolina’s city- and county-based Tourism Development Authority system is that while it does collect and spend room occupancy taxes to market specific cities and counties as travel destinations — driving Western North Carolina’s tourism-based economy — it does almost nothing for residents of those destinations who have to bear the brunt of soaring housing costs due to short-term rentals, overcrowded attractions and excess demand on infrastructure like roads and water systems.

“There is a definite and negative impact to lack of broadband in our community.”

The Needs-Based Public Schools Capital Fund Grant Program was established as part of the education lottery in the 2017-18 state budget to provide more money in lottery funds for school construction in high-need counties. This year, the criteria to be eligible for these grants has expanded widely to include almost all counties in the state due to a surplus of funds. 

Jackson County Tourism Development Authority will open applications for its first round of tourism capital projects funds this year. This gives community stakeholders the chance to apply for money to fund projects that better the community for tourists and residents alike.