RALEIGH– U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development North Carolina State Director Reginald Speight announced the Department is launching a pilot program to make it easier for people to access loans and grants to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Ian and future natural disasters.
The homes must be located in eligible rural areas and presidentially declared disaster areas in states selected to participate in the pilot, which includes North Carolina.
“We are working hard to find solutions that better accommodate people impacted by natural disasters in rural areas across this state, to help them get the resources they need to rebuild their homes and their lives. The pilot program we are announcing today is a key example of this critical work and will hopefully create a blueprint for helping people in rural communities across the country recover from natural disasters,” Speight said.
This USDA pilot program signficantly expands eligibility for people seeking Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants to repair and rebuild their homes damaged in areas of presidentially declared disasters.
As a part of this pilot, USDA is making a number of changes, including:
– Lowering the minimum age from 62 to 18 for eligible homeowners.
– Refinancing debt and reimbursing repair costs incurred as a result of the natural disaster and prior to the date of the application.
– Financing costs to relocate mobile and manufactured homes.
Residents in all North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina may be eligible for the funding and in areas subject to future natural disasters in the next two years.
Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov or directly to the Rural Development State Office. For more information on how to apply, contact sm.rd.nc.sfhousing@usda.gov or visit www.rd.usda.gov/nc.
Why don’t these people have homeowner insurance? Why are taxpayers footing the bill? #BeResponsible
Nowhere does it say these homeowners don’t have insurance. Can you even get a home loan without having home insurance? It’s more likely the insurance companies denied their claims, ie they had flood damage but not flood insurance.
@JD: So, because the homeowner made a decision not to get flood insurance, the TAXPAYERS have to pick up the bill?!?!? All these Snowflakes expect the government to pay for everything!!! If you live in a hurricane-prone locale (such as NC), you should know better!!!!
Then advocate for your church or local charitable organization to help them, I guess, so the government doesn’t have to. Saying “be responsible” sounds great but we dont live in a society where there are a lot of well paying jobs in rural areas. Some people are trying their hardest but they can’t control the weather and the impact of natural disasters. Insurance companies try there hardest to not have to pay – and who’s to say what the circumstances are as to why they can’t get their homes repaired, as the article doesn’t mention specifics.