For North Carolinians that are still in the recovery process from a past hurricane and those preparing for the next one, clarifying homeownership is an important aspect of accessing recovery assistance. On September 22 and 23, Legal Aid of North Carolina is hosting free remote information sessions that will discuss how Legal Aid may be able to help with disaster recovery including assisting with clarifying ownership of property.
“Even if someone has been living in the same home their whole life, they may lack the documentation of ownership that many disaster relief organizations and programs require,” said Lesley Albritton, managing attorney of Legal Aid’s disaster relief project. “These information sessions are an opportunity for North Carolinians to learn about how Legal Aid can help during the disaster recovery process.”
Organizations and programs that help with repairs or replacements after a disaster require clear ownership of land. This includes state programs, such as ReBuild NC’s Homeowner Recovery Program. Some kinds of ownership make it harder to get assistance. For example, if someone is living on land owned by a now-deceased parent or grandparent who did not have a will, the fact that the deed is in someone else’s name or that the property has multiple potential heirs may prevent a storm survivor from accessing recovery assistance.
These information sessions will focus on how a person seeking disaster relief assistance can clarify their homeownership. This will include discussing what it means to live on heir property and how creating family trees can help to locate potential co-owners. Legal Aid can help eligible clients clarify ownership in advance of seeking relief assistance.
The information sessions can be accessed through the call-in numbers listed below, or by registering to view it as a video webinar at www.legalaidnc.org/disasterinfo. The presenters will answer general questions at the end of the presentation. Those with specific questions should call the Legal Aid helpline at 866-219-5262 or visit legalaidnc.org/apply to learn about eligibility for Legal Aid’s services and to get assistance.
More information about these information sessions and Legal Aid NC’s other disaster relief work can be found at the Disaster Relief section of our website.