— The State of North Carolina will receive $16.8 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund seven projects to address communities devastated by the flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.

The projects will elevate, remove or reconstruct homes in the towns of Fair Bluff and Windsor and in Johnston, Pender, Robeson and Wayne counties.

FEMA will pay 75 percent, or $16,869,832 of the $22 million cost, of these projects.

Wayne County will use more than $7.8 million to acquire and demolish 75 residences located in a special flood hazard area. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

The Town of Windsor will use a total of $5.2 million to remove or minimize future flood loss to 40 residences located in a special flood hazard area: 30 residences will be acquired and demolished, and 10 residences will be elevated, in accordance with Bertie County’s floodplain damage prevention ordinance.

The Town of Fair Bluff will use a total of $3.6 million to acquire and demolish 34 residences located in a special flood hazard area. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

Robeson County will use more than $2 million to demolish, reconstruct and elevate 15 residences above the base flood elevation.

Pender County will use more than $2 million to elevate 14 residences located in a special flood hazard area above the base flood elevation. These structures experienced damage due to flooding from the Cape Fear River and Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Matthew.

Johnston County will use $1.5 million to acquire and demolish eight residences located in a special flood hazard area. The homes were damaged due to flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew. Once the structures are removed, the sites will be left open as green space in perpetuity.

To date, FEMA has approved $55.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to the state as a result of Hurricane Matthew.

Not everyone sees FEMA demolishing these houses as a positive ...

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