Property Owners Can Get FEMA Assistance For Private Road Repair

Many of the roads in Cocke County were damaged in the flooding that happened four weeks ago. Quite a few of those roads are on private property, and the Cocke County Highway Department cannot fix those roads. The property owner is responsible for repairing those roads. FEMA says there could be some help for those property owners.

FEMA says they may provide funds to repair privately owned access roads and bridges that were damaged by the storm. To qualify, you must be the owner and the home must serve as your primary residence. A FEMA inspection is needed to determine if repairs are necessary for a vehicle to access the property.

To be eligible for assistance, the privately owned access route has to be the only access to your primary residence; Repair or replacement is necessary for the safety of the home’s occupants, allowing access for emergency vehicles or equipment; and you are responsible, or share responsibility with other homeowners, for maintaining the privately owned access route.

Now, if multiple households share a privately owned access route, assistance is shared among applicants. That requires additional coordination and documentation between FEMA and each applicant. You can visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Newpo0rt for more information. Another option to repair roads on private property is through a low interest loan from the Small Business Administration. You can speak with a representative from the SBA at the Disaster Recovery Center.