Deadline extended for Helene housing help in Burke County as NC secures $17M for emergency response

Burke County homeowners impacted by Hurricane Helene now have one more month to apply for state-backed housing recovery assistance, even as North Carolina leaders say the state is also strengthening its emergency readiness after winning a court fight over $17 million in federal disaster and homeland security funding.

On Friday, Renew NC, the state’s federally funded housing recovery program, announced that the deadline for homeowners to apply for assistance through its Single-Family Housing Program has been extended until Jan. 31.

The program offers help with repairing, reconstructing, or replacing homes damaged by Helene and is open to homeowners in Burke County and 27 other western North Carolina counties, plus one zip code in Mecklenburg County.

The extension was announced as the program continues its rollout statewide, with officials noting that North Carolina launched its federally funded housing program faster than any other Helene-impacted state. The program has already received more than 6,500 applications, and repairs and reconstruction began this fall, with completed projects reported in Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell, and Polk counties.

Gov. Josh Stein said the additional time is designed to relieve some strain on storm survivors, especially during the holiday season.

“It has been a very challenging year for our neighbors in western North Carolina, and we want to give folks every opportunity to apply for housing support,” Stein said in the announcement.

TWO TRACKS OF RECOVERYThe housing deadline extension comes alongside another major development affecting Helene recovery and future storm readiness.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced last week that he won a case against FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, securing $17 million in grant funding that the federal government had withheld from North Carolina under conditions the court found unlawful.

“Our state is going to get back the $17 million that Congress promised so that our emergency responders and law enforcement officers are ready to respond to the next crisis,” Jackson said.

The lawsuit centered on two grant programs used statewide to strengthen emergency response capabilities, including local preparedness that affects counties like Burke:

• the Emergency Management Performance Grant
• the Homeland Security Grant Program

Those funds were used during Hurricane Helene to activate and deploy emergency management personnel, coordinate rescues and shelters, and continue operations during widespread communications outages, according to North Carolina data.

The grants also support law enforcement and public safety agencies with training and equipment needs such as school safety improvements, active shooter drills, drone detection tools, bomb squad equipment, and search and rescue resources.

WHAT BURKE COUNTY HOMEOWNERS SHOULD KNOWRenew NC officials emphasized that homeowners who already received FEMA assistance or insurance money can still apply. The program is designed to cover unmet recovery needs that remain after other assistance is exhausted.

The Single-Family Housing Program prioritizes low- to moderate-income families, especially those with seniors aged 62, and older children under 18.

Homeowners can apply online at RenewNC.org, call 888-791-0207, or get in-person help at intake centers in Asheville, Boone, or Marion, where case managers provide assistance in English or Spanish.

Renew NC is funded through a federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery award from HUD. Of the state’s total $1.4 billion disaster recovery allocation for western North Carolina, $807 million supports the Single-Family Housing Program.

State officials said after the Jan. 31 deadline passes, Renew NC will shift fully to reviewing applications, determining budget needs, and moving qualified homeowners through the construction pipeline.