BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) -- Starting next week Helene flood victims can apply for FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Program to potentially have their homes replaced or their flooded-damaged property bought by the government.
The Hazard Mitigation Program is a FEMA-funded program designed to reduce future damages and losses after a disaster.
Though the program is federally funded, it is managed by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety's Division of Emergency Management.
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Applications for Hazard Mitigation Grants are now open, with those who apply having three options, listed below:
FEMA provides 75% of the cost of the program, while the state provides the other 25% of the funding.
You can watch an 8-minute video about the program.
Homeowners may withdraw their application at any time but must follow these three steps to apply:
In Buncombe County, those interested can apply at the Asheville Mall, Nov. 12 to Nov. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The process for applying for HMGP funds begins at the county level with each county's Emergency Manager.
The county alone determines which eligible mitigation projects will be placed on its project priority list, which it uses to track and organize projects from across the county that it wants to submit for funding consideration for the HMGP.
If you would like to request that an eligible mitigation project be added to your county's project priority list, then please use the county contact list to get in touch with them.
The first step in this process is completing an application and collecting the information needed to assess your project.
When you sign the homeowner's application, please ensure all owners shown on the property deed have signed the application.
FEMA will not approve it unless all parties listed on the deed have signed the application.
Along with the Homeowner Application, you will need to collect the following items for consideration:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
The local government is the eligible applicant for this program. After the initial homeowner intake, our team works with the local governments (county or town) to complete the application and fully understand the grant program and timeframe. FEMA's grant process is not known to be fast-moving, but the local government will provide updates to you as FEMA communicates them.
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What Type of Project Is Eligible for Funding?
Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: