HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Henderson County residents who need help elevating or stabilizing their properties in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene should head to the local Disaster Recovery Center this week.

The State Hazard Mitigation Team will be in Henderson County to assist homeowners with completing their Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications. The team will be at the Disaster Recovery Center at 2111 Asheville Highway in Hendersonville through Thursday.

  • 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday
  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday
  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is FEMA-funded but managed by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management.

For property owners, HMGP offers assistance for various mitigation strategies, including:

  • Structure elevation: Raising buildings to protect them from flooding.
  • Structural reinforcement: Strengthening buildings to withstand natural disasters.
  • Property buyouts: Purchasing damaged properties to reduce future risk.

Participation in the program is voluntary, and property owners may withdraw their application at any time.

As a property owner, the HMGP can potentially help homeowners with mitigation methods such as structure elevation, structural reinforcement and the buyout of damaged properties.

Follow these three steps to apply:

  • Complete the 5-minute grant information request.
  • After receiving an email from a Hazard Mitigation Team member, complete and return the application as instructed in the email.
  • Be approved by the local government (town or county) for inclusion in their application to FEMA.

Homeowner application tips:

  • The first step 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:

  • Flood insurance information (if available), including past claims.
  • Photos of the property (front, back, each side and street view)

CLICK HERE to see an 8-minute video about the funding opportunity.