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POLK COUNTY—Polk County residents with questions about the ongoing Private and Commercial Property Debris Removal (PPDR) and Demolition program have two ways to get information.

Two informational meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Womack Building in Columbus, which is located at 40 Courthouse St. Meetings will take place on the second floor.

Private property debris removal project coordinators will provide important details about the application process and will be available to answer your questions. Intake staff for the PPDR program will be on hand for both sessions to assist residents in starting the application process.

In addition to this meeting, where questions can be asked, the PPDR program now has a call center. The call center number is 833-575-8810, and it is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pickup of right-of-way debris from Helene’s damage is ongoing. As it concludes, though, Polk County is encouraging residents with storm damage to apply for this program. The PPDR program will help property owners who have been impacted by Helene and do not have debris removal insurance or have exhausted their insurance by removing eligible disaster debris or demolishing unsafe, unrecoverable structures on their private property.

The program covers the removal of hazardous limbs, trees, or other mixed debris caused by the storm located in or near a commonly used or maintained area of a property or impacts a waterway. The program also funds the demolition and removal of a structure that is a health hazard, deemed unfit/unsafe and may not be recoverable, or is in threat of collapse, such as concrete slabs.

This program was recently announced by the county. Many residents have already applied and inspectors plan to begin reviews of properties by the end of this week.

To apply for the PPDR program, residents can complete an application at www.polknc.gov/ppdr or visit the local PPDR application center, which is located within the Polk County Disaster Recovery Center (1255 W. Mills St. in Columbus). The recovery center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.