Four Helene-damaged NC homes repaired after storm will now be demolished in FEMA buyouts
Four homes in North Carolina that were repaired by owners following Hurricane Helene are now slated for demolition under a FEMA voluntary buyout program. The program aims to mitigate future flood risks by returning damaged land to its natural state.
Why it matters
The story illustrates the difficult trade-offs between individual property rights and long-term climate adaptation strategies in disaster-prone areas.
Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, four homes that owners worked to repair after the storm are now set to be demolished. The homes, in Hendersonville’s Cottages at Cypress Run neighbourhood, were among properties damaged by the September 2024 storm and were rebuilt with homeowners’ own money and help from volunteers. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), 535 of 892 homes in areas prone to repeated flooding have so far been approved for voluntary acquisition through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Properties bought through the programme are removed, with the land returned to natural areas to reduce future flood risk.Homes repaired after Helene now face demolitionHurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to western North Carolina on September 27, 2024.
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