Have a say in post-Helene housing recovery plan

First comes the action plan.

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Governor Josh Stein invited North Carolinians to participate in the development of an action plan to address unmet housing and economic revitalization hurricane recovery needs in western North Carolina. The $1.4 billion proposed plan, published on that same day by N.C. Commerce’s new Division of Community Revitalization, will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for approval once the draft plan is finalized.

The plan is a required step for receiving federal funds from a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) award, which Stein announced at a Jan. 7 news conference in Asheville. Tuesday marked the opening of a formal, 30-day comment period when people can offer input through email, online, by postal letter or fax, or through a series of public meetings being scheduled this month in least six western North Carolina communities.

“Western North Carolina is going to build back stronger than ever, but it’s going to take work and planning,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am grateful to everyone who offers constructive feedback and works with us to turn this plan into reality and spur action in the region’s economy.”

CDBG-DR grants focus on longer-term rebuilding rather than immediate needs for shelter. CDBG-DR grants address unmet needs in three core areas of recovery — housing, infrastructure, and economic revitalization. The Helene Action Plan proposes a majority of funds go to housing recovery for low- and moderate-income residents. The plan also lays out proposed funds for infrastructure rebuilding and economic support, particularly for small businesses and commercial districts.

“Hearing ideas from as many stakeholders and western North Carolina partners as possible will sharpen this proposal, positioning us to succeed with the tough recovery job ahead of us,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our team looks forward to digging into the complex details of how best to help these hard-hit communities and businesses recover.”

The scale and scope of the damage in western North Carolina, while still being analyzed, dwarfs past natural disasters in the state. A damage and needs assessment published by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) in December 2024 estimated 73,700 homes were likely to have been damaged in the storm. This estimate was inclusive of single-family homes, manufactured homes, and duplexes. Cost estimates for housing impacts include an estimated $12.7 billion in residential damage. Beyond the residential category, overall housing recovery needs approach $15.4 billion, of which OSBM estimates $9.5 billion might be covered by private and federal funding outside of the HUD funds. This analysis points to approximately $5.7 billion in unmet needs for housing recovery.

Currently, the pending HUD CDBG-DR grant earmarked for North Carolina stands at $1.4 billion, pending federal approval of the state’s action plan. Although this allotment will fall short of the unmet housing needs estimate, these funds will serve as a critical cornerstone for the revitalization of western North Carolina’s homes and businesses. A separate HUD CDBG-DR grant of $225 million was awarded directly to the City of Asheville to administer.

The state’s Action Plan draft can be found online at commerce.nc.gov/recovery.