Beaufort County residents living in homes that suffered significant damage during Hurricane Florence now have a little bit more time to apply for federal funds that could help them raise their homes, receive a government buyout or take other flood prevention measures.

According to Beaufort County Emergency Services Specialist Lisa Williams, the deadline for area residents to submit letters of interest for the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has been extended from Friday to early March, an extension that will allow the county time to host public meetings in Belhaven, Washington and Aurora.

“These meetings will complete the county’s due diligence process to identify any property owners that were impacted by Hurricane Florence who live in designated flood zones and are known to be at risk for flood hazards,” Williams wrote in an email to municipal leaders on Tuesday. “This will be an opportunity to identify them, explain the mitigation options available to them and answer questions.”

Meetings have been tentatively scheduled at the following dates and times:

• Aurora and surrounding area — Feb. 12, 6–8:30 p.m.
• Washington and surrounding area — Feb. 19, 6–8:30 p.m.
• Belhaven and surrounding area — Feb. 26, 6–8:30 p.m.

While the dates and times for the meetings have been set, Williams was in communication with community leaders Tuesday to secure venues for the meetings based on occupancy, ADA compliance, restrooms, parking and heat. The venues for these meetings will be announced this week in the Washington Daily News.

In her email, Williams said the extension came about as the result of input from communities across the state that have requested more time to complete the HMGP application process. In Beaufort County, the deadline for area residents to submit applications to Beaufort County Emergency Services would have been noon yesterday.

In order to request an application:

• Call 252-940-6517 and leave a message
• Email the request to Lisa.Williams@co.beaufort.nc.us
• Pick up the application in person, weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm. at the front desk of the County Manager’s Office at 121 W. Third St., Washington

The application package includes the following and all must be returned completed and signed:

• Property site inventory — basic information about the house and damages
• Declaration and release of citizenship
• Model acknowledgement of conditions, which must be notarized

The owner must provide:

• Flood elevation certificate if available
• Flood insurance declaration page if insured
• Flood proof of loss if insured. Written statement and documentation of flood damages if uninsured.
• Four current exterior photos of the property in digital format labeled “front,” “right side,” “left side,” “back” and emailed to Lisa.Williams@co.beaufort.nc.us with the subject line as the address of the home.