Was your home flooded during Hurricane Matthew? Do you have any interest in selling your flood-damaged home to FEMA or want to raise the height of the structure?
Johnston County is facilitating the state hazard mitigation program for county residents impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Property owners with homes that sustained flood damage during the storm are eligible for the program. Those interested in hazard mitigation can apply through one of two options:
1) Elevation of the primary residence
- Which involves raising the structure to local ordinance standards
- The residence must be structurally capable of being elevated safely
- Homeowner must maintain flood insurance with NFIP for the life of the property
2) Acquisition (buyout) of the entire property
- It is a voluntary program that includes purchasing all structures on a parcel of land
- The homeowner is offered pre-disaster fair market value based on a certified appraisal
- The residence and all buildings are demolished by local government once completed
- The land is deeded to local government with open space restrictions
- Homeowners are strongly encouraged to keep all receipts for any repairs already made
Both programs require the following documentation to apply to the state for inclusion in the process:
- Flood insurance declaration page
- Photos of each side of all structures on the property
- Elevation certificate if you have one
The hazard mitigation program can take between 6 and 18 months to complete depending on the number of applications and available funds. North Carolina Emergency Management will determine the approval for all applications before submitting for the final approval from FEMA. Johnston County residents participating in the program will be notified through Johnston County Emergency Services once a decision is made.
For more information or to apply for the program, contact the Johnston County Emergency Services hazard mitigation team at 919-989-5050 Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. A hazard mitigation team member will schedule a time to meet with you to complete your application for either the acquisition or elevation program. All applications are due by Friday, January 13th, 2017. Photos by John Payne
