Two years after the flood, assistance deadline closes in

Jul. 31—It's been two years since massive flooding wreaked havoc along the Pigeon River and its tributaries, from Cruso to Canton and beyond.

The state of North Carolina set aside $49 million for short-term housing for those displaced by the flood and to help defray damages, but Aug. 17 will be the final date to apply for that assistance.

State personnel with the N.C. Office of State Budget Management provided an update at a recent county commissioner meeting and noted applications have slowed to a trickle.

There have been 694 viable applications — 368 of whom lived in Haywood, said Kristin Moyle, assistant director of the OSBM operations for disaster recovery.

Flood statistics show that many more individuals were harmed by Tropical Storm Fred than the number who applied for the state assistance, however.

Moyle has several theories on why that is.

"Some people say they'll let others go down this path first and they will just wait their turn, or they may think they didn't have enough damage to qualify. Others may have had insurance," Moyle said. "Then there are some people who may not even know about the program."

Whatever the reason, the state funding was set aside to help those whose lives were touched by the flooding that left damage so devastating many are still struggling.

Even though two years have passed, Moyle encouraged anyone who experienced flood damage from Tropical Storm Fred to fill out an application, either online, at the courthouse, or just call to submit an application over the phone.

Applying is exceedingly simple, requiring about three minutes to complete the dozen questions, Moyle said.

Once the application is open, those experiencing losses from Tropical Storm Fred will work directly with a staff member to determine the losses and damages and what could be eligible for compensation.

"All with flood damage should apply," Moyle said, even if they paid out-of-pocket to repair damages long ago. "We are a state funding agency and require documentation — what it was for, when it was done, things like that. But we know of ways to help people recover receipts they might not know about."

In addition to providing $4 million to cover temporary housing for those displaced from their homes by the August 2021 flooding, the state provided $15 million to restore private roads and bridges, $20 million for total home rebuilds, $3 million for home repairs and reimbursements and $2 million for landlords to repair housing.

Of those amounts, the road and bridge funds went quickly, but money to help landlords restore homes largely went untapped, Moyle said.

The agency is seeking approval to shift funds between cost codes, but hasn't heard whether that is possible, she added.

The Tropical Storm Fred Residential Recovery Program (RPP) may provide assistance to:

—Repair, elevate, reconstruct, or replace homes destroyed by TS Fred;

—Reimburse homeowners for eligible completed repairs;

—Assist landlords in repairing rental units;

—Help repair or replace private roads or bridges damaged/destroyed by TS Fred.

Apply by going to www.tsfred.nc.gov or calling 828-526-6170.