In a significant development for homeowners in North Carolina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has greenlighted 142 property buyouts in Buncombe County. This latest approval now raises the county’s total approved properties to 189, marking a pivotal step in the state’s recovery efforts.
The financial commitment from FEMA amounts to $59 million, which is also designated for acquiring properties in neighboring counties. Specifically, 11 properties in Haywood County, nine in Mitchell County, and several in Madison County are included in this funding initiative.
The buyout program is part of FEMA’s longstanding Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, designed to allow homeowners to sell properties to local governments. Subsequent to these sales, the land is intended for use in parks, greenways, and other public projects. The process, however, has not been swift, with some homeowners experiencing a wait of over a year. More details on the delay can be found here.
“We were very excited to get the news of the additional properties here in Buncombe County,” said Kevin Madsen, the Helene Recovery Officer for Buncombe County, in his conversation with BPR. This batch is the third to undergo FEMA’s review, with one more batch comprising 74 properties still pending approval.
Hurricane Helene has prompted approximately 700 homeowners across the state to apply for the program, based on data from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. More than 350 projects have been approved by FEMA thus far, with the agency allocating $1.5 billion in total for the program in North Carolina.
Previously, the program faced notable delays due to former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem’s policy that required her signature on expenditures exceeding $100,000. This policy slowed down the approval process for recovery funds.
With Markwayne Mullin stepping in as the new Secretary in March, there has been a concerted effort to accelerate the distribution of federal disaster aid. Mullin has removed the previous $100,000 approval threshold, a move that has been welcomed by many involved in the recovery process.
Justin Graney, a spokesperson for North Carolina Emergency Management, acknowledged the improvements, stating, “I think Secretary Mullin has shown that he wants to move forward with recovery and find ways to move forward collaboratively. He got rid of Secretary Noem’s $100,000 approval threshold and I think that illustrates that he’s removing red tape where he can to try to expedite some of these programs.”
Graney further noted that the state has been prepared to proceed with implementing the hazard mitigation grants. “The team is rapidly getting to work as soon as these approvals come in,” he affirmed.
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