ReBuild North Carolina has awarded over $286,000 to 22 families whose homes were damaged in Hurricane Matthew. The grants come through North Carolina’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding. The families are located in Cumberland, Edgecombe, Robeson and Wayne counties, and funding will be used to repair damaged homes and to reimburse homeowners for work that is already completed.
This funding is in addition to over $743 million already on the ground for small business recovery, public infrastructure repair, and direct payments to homeowner including over $98 million in FEMA individual assistance. CDBG-DR spending represents 15% of recovery funds available from various sources.
“Recovery is picking up steam with more repairs getting underway and more families getting money back for home repairs,” said Mike Sprayberry, Director of NC Emergency Management. “We know help can never come fast enough to those in need and we are pushing to get hammers swinging on more recovery projects across eastern North Carolina.”
Cumberland, Edgecombe, Robeson and Wayne counties have all had their area-wide environmental reviews approved allowing grant funds to flow. Area-wide environmental reviews in the remaining affected counties are underway. In preparation for the approval of environmental reviews, ReBuild North Carolina has completed 483 home damage inspections and begun or completed 574 site specific environmental reviews. Damage inspections verify the level of damage at the home and help determine the scope of the individual award. Site-specific environmental reviews ensure that CDBG-DR projects provide safe, and sanitary housing and follow the guidelines set out in the area-wide environmental review. Both of these are federal requirements necessary before making an award. By completing as many of these steps as possible before area-wide environmental reviews are approved by HUD, ReBuild North Carolina can speed the approval for grant awards to program participants.
CDBG-DR funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is available to help low-to-moderate income families and individuals repair or rebuild following damage from Hurricane Matthew. Funding from the program can also be used to reimburse homeowners who undertook and completed repairs to their home after Matthew. North Carolina has been approved to use $236 million in CDBG-DR funds, and guidelines published in the federal register directed the state to spent 80% of that funding in Cumberland, Edgecombe, Robeson and Wayne counties. The state is awaiting federal guidelines that will outline the use of an additional $168 million.
People who need help are urged to visit rebuild.nc.gov to learn more about program options and to call 2-1-1 to make an appointment to visit one of eight ReBuild NC Application Centers to see if they qualify for assistance.