Governor Stein and the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) today unveiled the Western North Carolina Economic Recovery Plan, a long-term framework designed to rebuild and grow the region's economy. The unveiling comes as western North Carolina approaches two years since Hurricane Helene impacted the area. Developed with input from 28 counties, the Qualla Boundary, five regional councils of government, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations, the plan aims to strengthen the region for the future.
Governor Josh Stein stated that while “headlines about Helene have faded over the last two years, the work remains.” He emphasized that western North Carolinians “know best how to keep moving forward,” and the plan puts the state's support behind the region's own priorities. The goal is to build an economy that is stronger and more diversified than it was before the storm, reflecting the comprehensive nature required for a full recovery.
The plan recognizes that Hurricane Helene impacted a region already facing significant economic challenges. Over three decades, North Carolina experienced a loss of more than 40% of its manufacturing jobs, a trend mirrored by considerable losses in the industrial labor force across the 28 counties covered by the plan. Rebuilding efforts are therefore not merely focused on returning to pre-storm conditions but on addressing these long-term economic vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the recovery framework accounts for a reduced labor force since the storm, with the North Carolina Department of Commerce reporting a decrease of over 16,000 people in the region's labor force from April 2023 through April 2026, even as the state's overall population grew.
The Western North Carolina Economic Recovery Plan organizes the region's work into nine distinct lines of effort. These areas include infrastructure; natural resources; economic development and entrepreneurship; housing; education and workforce development; health care; arts, culture, and tourism; and agriculture. For each line of effort, the plan outlines a named lead and establishes specific targets for both Year 5 and Year 10. The plan is designed to be a coordinating framework rather than creating new appropriations or superseding existing community-built plans. Instead, it aligns the region's five federally recognized economic development strategies into a single, shared framework, allowing communities to combine resources around their identified priorities.
Sharon Decker, GROW NC's Senior Advisor for Long-Term Recovery, commented that western North Carolina has never lacked plans or ideas, but rather “one place where the region's own priorities line up with the money to back them and the people who can act on them.” She underscored that the plan was not developed in Raleigh, but rather built by counties, chambers, community colleges, business owners, and councils of government, emphasizing that the work now belongs to them. Decker led the development of the plan alongside the Long-Term Economic Recovery Subcommittee of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery. David Jackson, President and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Laura Leatherwood, President of Blue Ridge Community College, co-chaired this subcommittee.
The plan is designed to build upon momentum already generated in the region. Matt Calabria, Director of GROW NC, stated that the plan is an essential part of the recovery and will ensure continued integrated and holistic recovery. Significant progress has been made since Helene, including the repair or rebuilding of more than 1,250 homes through Renew NC and state partnerships with volunteer organizations. Nearly 16.5 million cubic yards of debris have been cleared, 99% of drinking water systems have been restored, and 99% of impacted state roads have reopened. However, some of the most complex repairs still remain, particularly involving private roads, bridges, and local systems that are not fully covered by federal programs.
Governor Stein has collaborated with the General Assembly to secure over $2.4 billion in state recovery funding through six Helene relief packages by June 30, 2026. An additional $706.1 million was added through the state budget signed in July. Furthermore, Governor Stein has called upon Washington, D.C., to appropriate more than $10 billion in additional federal funding to aid in rebuilding housing, strengthening infrastructure, and supporting small businesses.
The Economic Recovery Plan is scheduled to be presented to the Governor's Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery on Friday, September 25, at Mars Hill University. This committee is co-chaired by Senator Kevin Corbin and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.
