Based on images of devastating flooding and national news reports showing parts of Asheville under water, you might assume residents in the hardest-hit areas of Buncombe County would be getting the most help from FEMA for Tropical Storm Helene.

But Burnsville in Yancey County is actually at the top of that list, followed by an area in Henderson County and then Swannanoa, according to an Asheville Watchdog analysis of FEMA individual assistance by ZIP code as of Nov. 9.

Buncombe County suffered the most extensive damage from the Sept. 27 storm and the largest death toll – 43. Henderson and Yancey counties each had 10 deaths.

FEMA’s Individual and Households Program pays for uninsured losses from a disaster, including temporary housing, home repairs, replacement of personal belongings and funeral expenses. Some assistance, such as money for essential items, can be awarded following a phone or online application while other types require verification from a FEMA inspection.

Nine ZIP codes in Buncombe were in the top 20 for total FEMA individual assistance, according to the data. Besides Swannanoa, 28778, they are: Black Mountain, 28711; Candler, 28715; Fairview, 28730; Weaverville, 28787; and four in Asheville, 28806 (West Asheville), 28805 (East Asheville), 28803 (South Asheville) and 28804 (North Asheville).

FEMA had approved about two-thirds to three-fourths of the applications in Buncombe. 

The 28806 ZIP code — west of downtown Asheville and bordered by the French Broad River — had the most, 6,905 applicants, and 4,898 of those received a total of nearly $6 million. Most of that aid fell under the “other needs assistance” category, which includes $750 per household for essential needs following the storm, payments that did not require an inspection.

The data provide a picture of how Helene’s record-breaking rain, winds and landslides impacted each area of Buncombe. FEMA inspectors visit homes and verify damages to structures and personal property such as appliances, furnishings and tools.

The average damage FEMA recorded for each claim in the 28806 ZIP code was $375 while in Swannanoa it was $5,432. FEMA inspectors recorded the highest damages in the county in Barnardsville, ZIP code 28709, with an average of $6,026 per claim.

Fairview, 28730, was also hard hit with average damages of $3,240, as was Black Mountain, 28711, with an average of $2,066. More than 10 Buncombe ZIP codes had average damages under $1,000. 

Chimney Rock in Rutherford County had the highest average damages in North Carolina, $30,559. 

The damages exceed the amount FEMA paid to applicants because the assistance kicks in for losses not covered by private insurance. For instance, FEMA inspectors verified $13.3 million in damages in the Swannanoa ZIP code but paid out $6.7 million. 

Seventy-two Buncombe applicants received the maximum FEMA grants of $42,500 for housing and $42,500 for other needs such as replacement of vehicles or personal property and reimbursement for moving, medical and funeral expenses. More than half of those were in Swannanoa and the 28805 ZIP code of East Asheville. 

All applicants for FEMA assistance must meet certain eligibility requirements prior to receiving assistance.

Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. Email skestin@avlwatchdog.org. John Maines is a Pulitzer Prize-winning database editor. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.

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