Dare County is gathering applications for home elevation grants.

Grant applications must be submitted to Dare County by close of business Jan. 22.

At a meeting in Buxton, 27 people with questions about the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program showed up at the Fessenden Center Annex.

Brent Johnson, Dare County grants project manager, went over grant requirements. Email Brent.Johnson@darenc.com for information and a copy of the Dare County application or call 252-475-5628 for an application.

Dare County bundles individual applications for the State of North Carolina and FEMA for review and evaluation.

For first time applicants, Johnson provided some preliminary screening questions:

Are you a full time resident in this home?

Does the house have a flooring system that can be raised?

Flood insurance coverage is required after the home is elevated and for the life of the home. Are you okay with this?

The wait time is two to three years. Can you wait that long?

During construction, homeowners must relocate out of the home. Are you willing to relocate out of your house during construction, possibly lasting three months?

Is your home a mobile home that is taxed as personal property? If so, it’s not eligible. Other exclusions are structures used for commercial or rental purposes.

Is the permitted portion of your home already elevated above base flood elevation? This is a disqualifier.

Will your home require more work to raise? For example, if the electric box is not up to code, the homeowner must pay for upgrade.

If selected for a home elevation grant, the cost share breakdown is 100% federal funding for properties with severe repetitive loss; for homes with repetitive loss, 90% federal and 10% state. For all others, the federal government will pay 75% and the State of North Carolina will pay 25%.

The applicant must provide Dare County tax parcel sheet, elevation certificate if available, flood insurance card if available, insurance loss statement and color photos of each side of the house. Two provided documents must be signed: acknowledgement form and Dare County Acknowledgement of Intent. Both forms are in the application packet available from Johnson.

The approval process takes 12 months.

If an application is accepted for funding, an engineer will produce a feasibility study and structural design. A contractor will be selected and the work will proceed. This process will take almost two years.

Expenses for one elevation project is capped at $175,000. Other types of grants available are a FEMA buyout or a rebuild project, which are also capped at $175,000.

For a home elevation, the porch, underpinning, utility connections and HVAC will all be elevated, as will stairs and ramps.

If a grant application was submitted in 2018 or spring 2019 as a result of Michael or Florence, reapplication is not necessary.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS AND EVENTS HERE. 

RECENT HEADLINES:

NC Aquarium seeks to collect ton of food for pantry by Valentine’s Day

Pre-bid meeting for Dare County Animal Shelter project set for Wednesday