$17.9 Million in FEMA Funding Targets 42 Helene-Damaged Properties in Rutherford, Mecklenburg

Nearly $17.9 million in federal funding will help Rutherford and Mecklenburg counties acquire and demolish 42 properties damaged by Hurricane Helene, putting vulnerable land back into green space rather than rebuilding homes and other structures in locations at risk of future flooding and landslides.

U.S. Rep. Tim Moore (R, NC-14) announced the FEMA funding Friday.

The awards total $17,870,774.13, including more than $11 million for Rutherford County.

“Recovery from Hurricane Helene is about rebuilding while also making our communities safer for the future,” Moore said. “This funding will help Rutherford and Mecklenburg Counties address properties at risk of future flooding and landslides and better protect against future storms.”

The announcement comes as North Carolina continues shifting from the immediate response to Helene toward long-term recovery and mitigation.

North Carolina Emergency Management said its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is designed to reduce the risk of future loss of life and property following a disaster. One of the program's most common approaches after Helene has been property acquisition, or buyouts. 

Rutherford County's $11 million award

Rutherford County will receive $10,638,923.44 to acquire and demolish 23 Helene-damaged properties.

The county will receive another $400,000 for management costs associated with the acquisitions and demolitions.

That puts Rutherford County's total at $11,038,923.44.

NCEM's current public records show Rutherford County submitted a larger acquisition application covering 36 properties to FEMA on May 23, 2025. That application remains listed as under FEMA review, while Friday's announcement covers 23 properties. 

FEMA approval of one group of properties does not necessarily mean every property included in a county's broader application has been approved.

Under the mitigation program, property acquisitions are voluntary. NCEM said homeowners must choose to participate and can decline assistance. Once a property is acquired, the structure is demolished, and the land is returned to green space in perpetuity. 

Why the buyouts matter in Rutherford County

Helene was not simply a flood event in Western North Carolina.

The storm produced widespread flooding and landslides across the mountains, including severe damage in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas of Rutherford County and along the Broad River in other parts of the county, including Rutherfordton, Forest City, and Mooresboro.

A U.S. Geological Survey assessment found that Rutherford was among the North Carolina counties where the most damaging landslides occurred. The agency also warned that localized threats from renewed landslide activity could remain elevated for months or even years following the storm. 

That makes the question of where to rebuild a central part of the region's recovery.

NCEM described acquisitions as a way to help property owners move on from properties that may be difficult or unsafe to rebuild, particularly properties located in flood-prone areas or subject to repetitive flooding, according to their website.

Instead of rebuilding the same structure in the same vulnerable location, the buyout program removes the structure and permanently limits future development on the property.

A broader Helene mitigation strategy

The Rutherford County award is part of a much larger statewide mitigation effort.

NCEM's current list shows acquisition projects involving dozens of properties in counties throughout Western North Carolina, including Buncombe, Burke, Henderson, Haywood, Mitchell, Polk, Yancey and others. Some projects have already been awarded, while others remain under FEMA review. 

NCEM also says mitigation projects can include property elevations, infrastructure improvements, flood gauges and generators.

For Rutherford County, the property buyouts add another piece to a recovery effort that has already included debris removal, infrastructure repairs and rebuilding throughout the county.

Mecklenburg County receives nearly $7 million

Mecklenburg County will receive $6,651,850.69 to acquire and demolish 19 properties damaged by Helene.

Another $180,000 will cover management costs.

The Mecklenburg County total is $6,831,850.69.

Like the Rutherford County properties, the acquired sites will be returned to green space and deed restricted to reduce the risk of future flooding and landslides.

Rebuilding — but not necessarily the same way

North Carolina Emergency Management described hazard mitigation as an effort to break the cycle of disaster loss by reducing exposure before the next disaster occurs. 

That philosophy is becoming increasingly significant in Western North Carolina nearly two years after Helene.