Four North Carolina homes repaired after Helene face demolition after FEMA buyouts

Four North Carolina homes repaired after Helene face demolition after FEMA buyouts (Image Credit: WLOS) 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. NCDPS says the storm caused nearly $60 billion in damage across the state, damaged or destroyed more than 73,000 homes and resulted in 107 deaths. Two years later, the state says recovery remains ongoing.In Hendersonville, the consequences of that recovery proc...