Hundreds of Buncombe Buyout Applications Stall, Flooded Homeowners Wait

Mary Lynn Manns lives near the Swannanoa River in a two bedroom townhome that was gutted by flooding during Hurricane Helene and has remained unlivable. Like hundreds of other homeowners across eastern Asheville and neighboring communities, she applied months ago for a voluntary buyout intended to remove repeatedly flooded properties from harm. More than nine months after those applications were first submitted, final sign off from FEMA has not arrived.

Officials report that more than 500 buyout applications, representing about 240 million dollars in property value, remain in the pipeline awaiting federal approval. FEMA has awarded portions of the Hazard Mitigation grant funding to the state, but none of the large scale buyout money has yet flowed to homeowners for acquisitions. Some of the awards issued in other counties were limited to planning and engineering work rather than purchases of homes.

The North Carolina Emergency Management office and state officials have submitted packets to FEMA for Buncombe and other affected counties, but homeowners and local leaders say they lack clarity about timelines and next steps. Local advocates and program administrators warn that the prolonged delays increase costs for homeowners, reduce options for recovery including the ability to move or rebuild, and create financial instability for families who remain in damaged or repeatedly flood prone homes.

Matt Calabria, director of GrowNC, noted that the volume of applications and the complexity of federal review processes are factors slowing progress. That combination has amplified frustration in communities where residents need definitive answers about relocation, elevation or reconstruction choices. The backlog also complicates municipal planning for floodplain management, land use and long term community resilience.

For Buncombe County residents the stalled buyouts mean continued exposure to future flooding, uncertain property futures and extended insurance and maintenance burdens. The situation highlights the gap between federal hazard mitigation intent and the day to day reality for survivors, and underscores the need for more transparent timelines, interim assistance measures, and coordinated state federal action to move acquisitions forward and stabilize recovery for affected households.