Residents await word on flood insurance

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Residents of the Mecklenburg County-owned Cavalier Apartments hope to soon find out if they have flood insurance.

It was a week ago the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay forced them out of their homes in the early morning hours.

The county had given them the option of flood insurance. 

Many thought they had it, but have since been told by the insurance company they were not covered yet.

“They were under the impression based on the date that they signed the paperwork saying that they wanted insurance, that they should've had insurance coverage by this point,” said Sharon Foote, a spokesperson for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services.

People who lived on the first floor of the apartments lost practically everything they had.

Foote says there are between 10 and 30 families who thought they had flood coverage.

“We're trying to figure out the paper trail,” Foote said. “We're trying to figure out for each of those residents of the Cavalier Apartments what happened to their paperwork, their payment and why they're being told their insurance does not kick in, in many cases, until next week.”

After investigating the cases for the past several days, officials with Storm Water Services are now taking the issue to county commissioners looking for some direction.

“The Board of County Commissioners has some leeway in determining what can be done immediately for those residents,” said Foote.

Some people who live on the first floor say they will be at the meeting to hear what is said, but if legal issues are brought up, that part of the discussion may be behind closed doors.