Camelot Village, located off South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill, was one of the portions of Orange County hit hardest by flooding during Hurricane Florence.

In fact, since the apartment complex was built in 1967, the area has seen major flooding repeatedly, since it sits between two floodplains and borders a portion of Bolin Creek that overflows its banks during heavy rains.

According to Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger, the town attempted to broker a deal with FEMA to purchase the complex in past years due to flooding but those negotiations were ultimately unsuccessful.

“Those units are either individually owned or group-owned; no one person owns them all,” said Hemminger. “You’d have to have a lot of negotiations. We thought we’d reached an agreement. We pulled everyone together with FEMA, our town staff, the homeowners association and both tenants and landlords to agreed to move forward on a couple of the buildings. Apparently that did not go forward from the homeowners’ side.”

The complex was built just one year before regulations were put in place that would have stopped it from being built, the mayor said. The only likely solution now is to tear it down, which would lead to the displacement of tenants, some of who live on the second floor of the units and do not deal with the brunt of the flooding.

But after a June 2013 flood damaged over half of the condos in Camelot Village, the town decided a FEMA buyout was it’s best-case scenario.

“I think that whole situation needs to be reevaluated,” said Hemminger. “I want us to take a look at pulling people back together and saying, ‘let’s see where we are now,’ because as we learned when we pulled FEMA and staff and everyone together, the only option was to tear down a couple of those buildings.”

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill, Carrboro Continuing Focus on Flooding After Hurricane Florence
While over nine inches of rain brought some flooding to Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the area got through Hurricane Florence with considerably less damage than parts of eastern North Carolina. Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle said part of the credit for this goes to the town’s public works department. “Even in advance of the storm, I […]
'Financial Disaster': Cancelled FEMA Program Leaves Hillsborough Pump Station Project $6 Million Short
Hillsborough is now scrambling for ways to move forward with relocating its River Pump Station, a critical water and sewer project.
UNC Law Students Use Spring Break to Provide Legal Aid, Reassurance to Hurricane Helene Victims
While UNC was on spring break in mid-March, eight law students helped hold clinics in western North Carolina offering pro bono services.
‘Everybody’s Fighting the Cold’: Helene Survivors Struggle To Find Housing for the Winter
Many Hurricane Helene victims in western North Carolina are living in campers and trailers this winter as temporary housing.
New North Carolina Governor Issues Orders on Private Road Repairs, Housing After Helene
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — New North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein took several actions on Thursday to help the short- and long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene, with an immediate focus on more temporary housing and repairs to private bridges and roads. Stein, who took his oath of office on Wednesday to succeed fellow Democrat […]
North Carolina Official Overseeing Hurricane Rebuilding Efforts Is No Longer in Role
The top North Carolina official for rebuilding efforts after natural disasters is no longer working in the position, the AP reports.
Russia Amplified Hurricane Disinformation To Drive Americans Apart, Researchers Find
Russia has helped amplify and spread false and misleading internet claims about recent hurricanes in the United States and the federal government’s response
Trump Makes More Debunked Claims About FEMA as He Surveys Storm Damage in North Carolina
Surveying storm damage in North Carolina, former President Donald Trump on Monday blasted federal emergency responders whose work has been stymied by armed harassment and a deluge of misinformation.
Climate Thursday: Jayce Genco from FEMA Talks Disaster Relief
FEMA's Jayce Genco spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Thursday, October 3. They discussed the latest relief efforts for Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, including what people can do locally, and more.
'Sustained Weeks of Extreme and Dangerous Heat': Duke Expert Talks Heat Policy
The Nicholas Institute for the Environment has one expert working to help the government change its preparation and response to extreme heat. 
›