Officials with the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROWNC) provided an update on Dec. 15 on ongoing recovery efforts, reporting on housing programs, hazard mitigation, and state road conditions more than a year after Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina.
Matt Calabria, director of GROWNC, said 585 homes have been submitted to FEMA for review under the hazard mitigation grant program (HMGP). The applications, submitted in 22 batches, include home buyouts, home elevations, and infrastructure improvements intended to reduce future storm damage. No applications have yet received FEMA approval. Total projected federal funding for HMGP is $1.54 billion, with approximately $513 million in state matching funds. Calabria noted that changing federal requirements affect project eligibility, and approvals are dependent on FEMA’s review.
“Hazard mitigation grants remain a central component of recovery in western North Carolina,” Calabria said. “We continue to work with FEMA and local governments to move applications forward and ensure projects meet program criteria.”…