If anything I said earlier gave this impression, that is not what I was trying to convey. I was indicating that FEMA gave area residents a small stipend to help with living expenses while the areas where they used to reside were unlivable (no running water, no electricity, etc). Plenty of people returned/rebuilt to flooded areas as well. But almost 20 years later, New Orleans’ population is still down by over a third from what it was pre-Katrina.
The article discusses how the state government loosened/weakened building restrictions, but one of the proponents of not having statewide regulations indicated:
Mr. Millis said statewide rules are unnecessary because local governments have rules about building on hillsides.
So although I think you’re very likely correct that NC as a whole won’t change its standards, I do think that western NC, particularly Watauga County (Boone) and Buncombe County (Asheville area) will enact stricter regulations, as those are both solidly blue areas and have a reputation for being very environmentally forward.
Flood insurance, at least up to $250k, is available almost everywhere in the U.S. (Bolded not directed towards you, @Sweetgum, but to make sure that anyone skimming definitely understands that 99.9% of the time that they can get a flood insurance policy). Flood insurance is not included in home insurance policies but is a separate policy purchased. Although I’ve never owned a house that was required to have flood insurance, every home insurance company I’ve ever dealt with has been able to provide a federal flood insurance policy.
I wasn’t saying that flood insurance wasn’t available just that most people don’t have it unless required to. I think it’s usually cheap if you don’t live in a flood plain, though.
I don’t know if Buncombe and Watauga counties will make changes on construction regulation. It could happen, but their brand of blue is not a super regulatory vibe. In Chapel Hill — yes — that would, and I’m pretty sure it already has, happened. I would see it happening in Buncombe before it happens in Watauga. Just my gut feeling, living in NC.
And yes so much misinformation. Share that news release if you see some! Here’s the direct link to it on Facebook: Redirecting...?
I had to return a dress I’d purchased online. When I went to their website, it said there may be delays because of the storm and their customer service people being unable to work because of the storm. Just one little business.
Other than World Central Kitchen, of which we’re big fans, what organizations do those of you who live in the affected areas suggest we support?
Years ago, when our area was hit by a long and large string of tornadoes, I was able to find groups such as local food banks and volunteer fire/rescue departments in the smaller communities that needed monetary donations. They seemed able to get food and supplies directly to those who most needed them quicker than most national organizations. I’m fine with supporting the big groups if that’s a better choice in this situation.
Diaper Bank: Babies need Bottoms Asheville: distributing children’s supplies including diapers, cream, and wipes babiesneedbottoms.org
I chose to give to the diaper organization and also to UMCOR. United Methodist Committee on Relief
No idea if those links will copy over well.
The Holderness Family shared some organizations on a reel, and three of theirs overlapped with those of my friend: Beloved, the diaper one, and Hearts With Hands. The Holderness Family is in Raleigh, I believe.
I cannot believe there is another system developing in the Gulf. The piles of debris are going to be huge projectile risks. And/or it’s going to be awful if another surge churns them all up in the roads
Here are some of the organizations we’ve been supporting; they’ve been working to get needed supplies to some of the more remote areas affected. They’re more grass roots efforts and probably a little more followed down here.
Flood insurance has been reevaluating things, and the price has soared. I live in a non flood zone (technically once in a hundred years) and it has basically doubled over the last several years. Supposedly they have stopped issuing policies in flood prone areas like coastal lowlands, but then I have read where they haven’t, and there is a lot of grumbling that flood insurance is basically raising the rates in non prone areas to subsidize people in high risk areas…I do know that flood insurance rates in risky areas was supposed to soar, but I haven’t met anyone affected by that. Flood insurance isn’t required, it is surprising that lenders don’t require it. The irony in my area is the big risk isn’t floods, it is that we have a high water table and most houses have french drain systems and sump pumps. If you lose power due to a storm, and the basement floods, it isn’t covered by flood insurance.
We don’t live in the Asheville area, but I do know that UMCOR has done great work in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina, on the North Carolina coast after Hurricane…Isabel?, in Haiti after the earthquake, etc. (I did not live in all of these areas at the time, but do know people who lived/worked in these areas.)
EDIT:
UMCOR allows donations to be designated for areas of greatest need (domestic or international), domestic areas, or international areas. There is also a subgroup of programs (Advance programs) that allow 100% of donations to be contributed to a particular project with no funds going for administrative costs. There is an Advance project for UMCOR’s work in response to Hurricane Helene. If one prefers not to have any of the funds used toward administrative costs, this is the link to that project:
I talked to my aunt!!! The landline is partially fixed. She can’t call out, but I can call in. And funny that she now has cell service in her yard thanks to the temporary towers. She never had service before. But she has no power or water still, so she doesn’t want to use the phone but so much.
She was very appreciative of the military dropping food off at the community center (5 miles a way) once a day. And her neighbor has a generator, so they bring her some water to kind of flush the toilet.
The cabin is not her real home. But her mom (it was their retirement home from NYC) alway told her to keep a weeks worth of clothes and granola bars in an emergency. Then she could go to a hotel. She never thought about not being able to get TO a hotel! But now some back roads are open, so she could get home in 5+ hours (vs the usual 2) but she wants to wait 7 more days to see if she gets power back, so she can clean the bathroom for real before closing it up. She’s not coming back anytime soon.
She said the house was fine and was thankful. 6 big trees from her neighbors property landed in her yard, but missed everything important. She won’t bother with calling someone for awhile, because there are too many bigger problems.
But while the house did fine, she said when storms come through, the mice want IN! She said she slept better the night of the storm vs the next when the mouse traps kept snapping shut. The things you just don’t think of!!!
Flood insurance is solely thru the federal government but private insurers sell it thru an arrangement with the gov. Mortgage lenders require flood insurance if the property is in a flood zone but anyone can purchase flood insurance. The max insurable amount is $250,000 property and $100,000 contents.
Not gonna lie, my stress level is pretty high right now. Milton could cause a huge problem in Tampa right on the heels of Helene. So many of my neighbors lost everything in their homes last week and all their possessions are piled on the curbs. I can’t even wrap my head around what a hurricane will do to us now.
Blue Ridge Public Radio has a good list of ways to help/places to donate:
I would add that Triangle Mutual Aid has been trucking in supplies from the Triangle area of NC (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill). https://www.trianglemutualaid.org
That’s why we dropped our flood insurance after the first year when the builder of our (part time, temporary) former home picked up the cost. After reading all of the fine print in the coverage and exclusions, we decided it wasn’t worthwhile for us.
None of the real estate agents we dealt with in our new area ever suggested checking the FEMA flood map, much less mentioned any history of flooding. Such disclosures aren’t required here, so it seems that people keep quiet about the risks.
I find the map makes for interesting reading any time I’m looking at property, and made sure that the property we bought for our current home is not close to any flood zones. FEMA Flood Map Service Center | Search By Address
