Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, federal recovery funding for the state has surpassed $7.5 billion, with work still ongoing according to FEMA.
FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton recently toured recovery sites across the region, including Asheville, Bat Cave, and Lake Lure, meeting with local leaders to assess progress on more than 3,000 Helene recovery projects. Hamilton stated, according to a FEMA press release, that "there is still a lot of work to do." He also noted a presidential commitment that Western North Carolina would "never be forgotten," with work continuing.
FEMA's direct recovery funding for North Carolina exceeds $2.5 billion, allocated to approximately 3,000 Helene recovery projects. These funds reimburse communities for debris removal, rebuilding infrastructure, and other storm-related expenses. Additionally, FEMA has provided approximately $254 million through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide to reduce future disaster losses.
More than $567.9 million has been awarded to about 161,000 families for essential needs such as home repairs and rent. This includes $34.2 million distributed to 12,600 families specifically to aid in repairing private roads and bridges. Statewide, over 16.5 million cubic yards of debris have been cleared from rights of way, waterways, and private property, a mission that included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The National Flood Insurance Program has also paid out $219.5 million in claims.
In the past month alone, FEMA announced more than $162 million in new recovery funding for North Carolina. This included an additional $137 million announced on August 28 for 114 recovery and mitigation projects, and nearly $33 million announced on September 9 for over 20 additional projects.
Among these new initiatives, the August 28 announcement from FEMA included more than $34 million through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. These funds are designated for acquiring nearly 80 flood-prone properties damaged by Helene across several counties, including Watauga, Buncombe, Mecklenburg, Rutherford, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as the towns of Belhaven and Bolton. These properties are slated for conversion into permanent open space, aiming to prevent or reduce future flood damage. A subsequent update from FEMA on September 14 added nearly $48 million to acquire approximately 135 more flood-prone properties statewide, bringing the total number of properties funded for acquisition to more than 500 since Helene.
Beyond FEMA, other federal agencies have significantly contributed to North Carolina's recovery efforts, adding billions more in aid. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $1.4 billion to the state and $225 million to the city of Asheville for long-term recovery initiatives. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has committed over $700 million for water infrastructure resiliency. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has contributed more than $1 billion for agricultural losses, farmland repairs, and watershed restoration. The U.S. Small Business Administration has disbursed nearly $300 million in low-interest disaster loans. Lastly, the U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded $34 million for economic recovery projects specifically in Western North Carolina.
