PRINCEVILLE, N.C. -- More than $1 million will be spent to determine if 75 North Carolina homes in the oldest town founded by slaves should be elevated to protect them from chronic flooding.
- Two years after Hurrican Matthew a study is planned to see if Pineville homes will be elevated.
- Almost $844,000 will be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the study.
- So far North Carolina has been awarded $88 million from FEMA to work on the 683 residential properties damaged by Hurricane Matthew.
The state Department of Public Safety says in a news release that Edgecombe County will receive the money to study the feasibility of elevating the Princeville homes.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide almost $844,000 for the study.
The state will provide the rest. After the study, FEMA will make money available to construct and elevate homes that meet several criteria, including cost effectiveness.
The grant money comes from FEMA's hazard mitigation program, which so far has awarded $88 million in North Carolina for this work on 683 residential properties damaged by Hurricane Matthew.
The hurricane struck in 2017.