Officials from North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) and Buncombe County Government held a meeting for owners of 47 properties in Buncombe County that have been approved by FEMA to begin the hazard mitigation grant program acquisition process. During the event, property owners received information about what to expect next, met their NCEM project manager, and were introduced to the vendor responsible for facilitating their acquisitions.
“Recovery is a long process requiring partnerships to serve our community members, and we are appreciative of the collaboration with NCEM to reach this milestone for the property owners in this program,” said Buncombe County Helene Recovery Officer Kevin Madsen. “While there are still a number of steps to go before closure, this is progress for those who lost so much 18 months ago.”
The next phases will include surveying each approved property and conducting real estate appraisals based on pre-storm values. Property owners will then receive purchase offers; if accepted, the process will proceed to closing. Afterward, contractors working with the state will restore these sites as open space. The land will eventually be returned to local government jurisdiction and maintained as green space permanently.
“NCEM is proud to partner with Buncombe County, and we are excited to move forward with the acquisition process for these property owners,” said NCEM Director Will Ray. “Our team has been prepared for over a year to move forward expeditiously, with a focus on removing unnecessary delays to benefit each property owner.”
