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Buncombe submits dozens of HMGP entries; acquisitions and elevations dominate requests
Summary
County staff reported 337 HMGP submissions so far with most projects focused on acquisitions and elevation; the state’s preliminary short-form process captured 23 applications from Buncombe for further development into full HMGP proposals.
Ryan (county staff) briefed commissioners on Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) activity following Helene.
Ryan said Buncombe County has 337 HMGP expressions of interest submitted to date, the majority for acquisitions (about 230). He reported applications also include 70 elevation requests, 23 land-stabilization projects, nine mitigation reconstructions, five slope stabilization projects and a number of planning and initiative projects (5% initiatives and 7% planning activities).
Staff described the HMGP application process: short-form submissions collect initial information (two-slide LOIs) for state review, then applicants convert accepted LOIs into full applications on the state’s Salesforce portal through an October 31 deadline. Ryan said Buncombe submitted 23 short-form applications during the initial intake and that the program allows later submissions through October.
He outlined eligible project categories that HMGP can fund: acquisitions, elevation, slope and streambank stabilization, wind- and flood-proofing, FEMA-compliant safe rooms, backup power (generators/solar/battery), wildfire risk reduction, community warning systems, hazard mapping, and planning activities such as hazard mitigation plan updates. Ryan said the state requires demonstrations of cost-effectiveness for many project types.
As a snapshot, Ryan reported that Buncombe’s short-form submittal included a mix of projects with a notional total value of roughly $97,940,000; he cautioned that this is an initial accounting and not a final funding award figure.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about deadlines and whether water/sewer extension projects might be eligible; Ryan said eligibility and cost-benefit analysis requirements will drive those determinations and that additional submissions remain possible before the state’s final submission deadline.
