FEMA Funds $26 Million for Buyout of 75 Homes in North Carolina, Opening New Path Forward for Hurricane Helene Recovery

Relief Arrives: 75 Families Can Move Forward, and Communities Can Reduce Future Disaster Risk

WASHINGTON -- Today, FEMA awarded more than $26 million to eliminate flood risks for severely damaged properties in North Carolina. The state will use this funding, administered through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, to buy 75 damaged residential properties in Henderson, Polk and Yancey counties, bringing needed relief to the homeowners. FEMA is acting at the direction of the new Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who has brought a renewed sense of urgency to the pending buyout requests.

These buyouts are critical for individuals who survived the storms but whose homes were permanently damaged by floods or landslides. After a disaster, homeowners are often still required to pay mortgages, property taxes and other expenses on their homes even if they are unlivable. By buying the properties from the homeowners, state and local officials lessen the financial burden on these survivors and ensure that the community is more resilient to future flood damage. In addition to the 75 buyouts announced today, Secretary Mullin also instructed FEMA to clear the remaining backlog of buyout requests and expedite approvals to the greatest extent possible.

"Under Secretary Mullin's empowering leadership, FEMA is taking swift, decisive action to help survivors," said Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator, Karen S. Evans. "The funding announced today will make a real difference for recovering communities, but our work is not finished. Secretary Mullin has further encouraged us to redouble our efforts to help the survivors who are still waiting for assistance. FEMA will continue working with our partners in North Carolina until every pending project is resolved."

Funding announced today will pay for the acquisition of homes located in the following North Carolina communities:

• 53 homes damaged by flood landslides in the Burnsville and Green Mountain communities in Yancey County.
• 18 homes damaged by floods in the Fletcher, Gerton and Hendersonville communities in Henderson County.
• Four homes damaged by floods in the Tryon and Saluda communities in Polk County.

FEMA expects to award more funding for property buyouts acquisitions in the weeks ahead. Many pending applications were severely stalled last year because of an eligibility issue: state-planned road repair work on or near the properties meant they did not meet federal acquisition standards set forth in regulation. This is just one example of how red tape impacts survivors and delays recovery.

Now under new leadership, FEMA is redoubling its efforts to find a creative solution to administrative and regulatory challenges. Last week, FEMA finalized a plan to address properties impacted by road construction and shared next steps with the state of North Carolina. FEMA will continue to work with North Carolina Emergency Management and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to bring resolution to each of these pending properties.

FEMA is reimbursing these costs at 75% federal share. Federally funded hazard mitigation projects include efforts like restoring natural floodplains; strengthening critical facilities like hospitals and wastewater treatment plants; improving drainage; and buying high-risk homes to demolish them or move them to higher, safer ground.

FEMA continues reviewing additional projects to acquire flood-prone properties and remove them as flood-related threats. This additional funding announcement follows the March 2026 efforts where FEMA obligated $66 million for hazard mitigation projects in North Carolina, including more than $47 million for 150 property buyouts.