State and federal funding was recently approved to help the City of New Bern acquire several homes in flood-prone areas. PRE’s Meredith Radford has more.
Nearly $1 million was approved to acquire, demolish and remove eight homes that were flooded as a result of Hurricane Florence in 2018. The structures are located within a Special Flood Hazard Area, which means they are at a high-risk for flooding. According to a news release, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will allow the homeowners to relocate so they won’t face an ongoing risk of flooding. The homes will be demolished, and the property converted into an open space in the natural flood plain. FEMA will cover 75 percent of eligible costs and the remaining 25 percent is paid for by the state. For Public Radio East, I’m Meredith Radford.