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Dare County has announced that, as a result of Tropical Storm Helene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened a grant opportunity for Dare County homeowners to elevate their houses above base flood elevation through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to local and state governments so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a manner that reduces future disaster losses within their communities. This funding – which only becomes available after a presidentially declared disaster occurs – allows structures to be elevated above the known flood level, preventing or reducing the risk of future flood losses.

Eligible properties include houses below base flood elevation and located in Special Flood Hazard Areas or on a repetitive loss list. FEMA considers a property to be a repetitive loss if it has had two or more flood insurance claims of more than $1,000 paid by the National Flood Insurance Program in any 10-year period since 1978. For more information about flood zones in Dare County, go to bit.ly/411Fu8i. All property owners in Dare County that meet these criteria are eligible; however, due to the limited funding available, Dare County will prioritize primary residence homeowner applications.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program covers 100 percent of elevation costs. Applicants should be aware that the typical timeline from submitting an application to receiving the award is approximately three to five years, and home elevation cannot occur until after the grant has been awarded. Once awarded, the state will select a qualified contractor to elevate the home, a process that takes approximately 60-90 days to complete for each property.

Those who believe their property is eligible should follow the instructions below to indicate interest in the program. Homeowners may withdraw their application at any time but must follow these three steps to apply:
1. Complete the five-minute grant information request.
2. After receiving an email from a North Carolina Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation team member, the homeowner must complete and return the application as instructed in the email.
3. Receive Dare County approval for inclusion in the FEMA application.

When signing the homeowner’s application, ensure all owners shown on the property deed have signed the application. FEMA will not approve the application unless all parties listed on the deed have signed. Along with the homeowner application, applicants will need to collect and include the following items for consideration:

• Flood insurance information (if available), including past claims.
• Photos of the property (front, back, each side and one street view). To view photo instructions, go to https://bit.ly/3AQ37WT.

In the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, homeowners cannot directly apply for a grant. However, a local community may apply for funding on behalf of these individuals. Dare County is the eligible applicant for this program. After the initial homeowner application intake process is completed, North Carolina Emergency Management will work with Dare County to complete the application on behalf of homeowners. To ensure inclusion in Dare County’s application, local homeowners should submit an application as soon as possible.

North Carolina Emergency Management has produced a video to provide more information on the program. To view the video, go to bit.ly/3AQ37WT.

For more information about the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program or the application process, contact Dare County Grants & Waterways administrator Barton Grover at 252-475-5628 or Barton.Grover@DareNC.gov.

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