Local

How Horry County mortgage holders can get $1,000 toward flood recovery

By Tyler Fleming
Suzy Centeno Hanson wades into her Rosewood home for the first time since abandoning it to rising flood waters. Hanson was also flooded in the 2016 flood waters of Hurricane Matthew. While much of the Rosewood community in Socastee in still under water from Hurricane Florence’s flooding, a few residents were able to return to assess the damage and begin cleaning on Tuesday October 2, 2018.
Suzy Centeno Hanson wades into her Rosewood home for the first time since abandoning it to rising flood waters. Hanson was also flooded in the 2016 flood waters of Hurricane Matthew. While much of the Rosewood community in Socastee in still under water from Hurricane Florence’s flooding, a few residents were able to return to assess the damage and begin cleaning on Tuesday October 2, 2018. Jason Lee jlee@thesunnews.com

Paying a mortgage while also working to restore after flooding can create a financial strain on many Horry County homeowners. The Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors is looking to help.

The Realtors Relief Foundation gave $350,000 to help homeowners with a mortgage begin the recovery process. They’re asking people to submit an application and get a $1,000 check to help cover the costs with evacuating a home or to help cover a monthly mortgage payment.

“There is still ample money available,” said Angela Fabbri with the Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors.

The application can be found at http://www.ccarsc.org/relief. To qualify, you need to provide proof of residency and a mortgage, as well as photos of the damage to your home.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 30.

For many people, returning to their home is just the first part. The path to repairing a house from flooding is a long one. FEMA encourages homeowners to use the time after a flood to prepare for the next one.

FEMA offers online guides on how to remove mold and get a house started on the recovery process. It recommends you to invest in flood protection and to replace damaged materials with water-resistant ones.

In an informational packet available on FEMA’s website, it lists water-resistant materials. It should be noted that nothing can guarantee your home will not flood, but there are protections to be made.

These products include marine plywood, rust-resistant galvanized nails and rigid insulation that can be dried and reused. Most of these products can be purchased at hardware stores.

Repairing a home is difficult, but there are groups looking to help. The Waccamaw VOAD remains active in connection people with funding and volunteers to repair their home.

Read Next

This story was originally published October 5, 2018 at 2:06 PM.

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER