North Carolina Seeks $25.7 Billion in Federal Aid for Hurricane Helene Recovery
After Hurricane Helene hit, North Carolina needs $25.7 billion in federal help. While $15.7 billion has been approved, the total cost to repair storm damage could reach $60 billion. The Western region of the state took the hardest impact. At a Jan. 29 meeting in Raleigh, state officials addressed growing emergency concerns. They highlighted significant gaps in assistance where communities need it most.
“We still have families across the state waiting for a home. This is unacceptable,” Columbus County Rep. Brenden Jones told the crowd.
The state’s Recovery Office focused on four priorities: removing debris, repairing homes, supporting local businesses, and fixing damaged roads. While they hope to complete housing repairs in four years, road repairs could take up to a decade. To finish repairing 1,100 homes damaged by previous hurricanes Matthew and Florence, the recovery team requested $217 million from state lawmakers. This highlights how past storm damage still affects the eastern state.
Help comes from FEMA, HUD, and the SBA. State officials want FEMA to extend its full funding and urge Congress to include Western areas in disaster discussions.
“We don’t want to bog this down with thick layers of bureaucracy, we want to be able to move nimbly,” said Matt Calabria to Stars and Stripes.
The storms claimed over 100 lives and devastated buildings across western counties. Gov. Stein’s team works to clean up damage and secure housing for those displaced by the storm. Jonathan Krebs at the Governor’s Recovery Office warned about funding shortfalls. Current federal money isn’t enough, he explained, with much still caught up in paperwork.
As Western regions rebuild, hundreds in the East still await repairs from previous storms. Officials want state funds to speed up aid rather than waiting on delayed federal money.
