RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein submitted a second request to lawmakers for an additional $891 million in funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
“Western North Carolina is coming back strong, but there is much more work to do,” said Stein in a press release. “I urge the General Assembly to pass a second round of funding so that the rebuilding and recovery efforts can continue as quickly and effectively as possible.”
Hurricane Helene hit the state Sept. 27 and caused historic damage to the western half of the state. The storm’s impact has been cited as the worst natural disaster to impact the state in modern history, with more than 100 lives lost and over $59 billion in damages.
According to Stein’s press release, his additional funding request includes:
- $260 million for economic recovery, supporting businesses and local governments and promoting western North Carolina’s tourism industry
- $239 million for critical infrastructure, such as repairing damaged schools, expanding debris clean-up and investing in projects for mitigating future disasters
- $113 million for housing recovery and assistance to families struggling with rent, mortgages and utility bills
- $105 million to fix waterways and land used by farmers and funding for wildfire prevention and response
- $23 million for food insecurity in western North Carolina and affected community colleges
- $152 million for federal disaster programs matching by the state, investments in communication and disaster system improvements, and existing requirements not funded by state or federal dollars
“The $891 million outlined in this plan tackles issues that can’t be ignored while we await the slow and uncertain federal assistance,” Stein wrote in his proposal. “These are the highest priorities that demand action to address pressing needs and perils to the region’s recovery.”
Stein also wrote that he appreciated the more than $1.6 billion the General Assembly had already appropriated through various pieces of legislation. That total will exceed $2 billion with the addition of $450 million in the recently introduced Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part II.
At least $70 million approved in that legislation will go toward critical programs with a federal match, and $60 million will go toward small business grants. Another $50 million is marked for unmet and unreimbursed capital needs of local governments.
Other spending items in Part II include:
- $30 million in additional funds to support reconstruction of private roads and bridges
- $30 million for agricultural and general debris removal
- $25 million to support reconstruction of destroyed schools
- $25 million to improve airport infrastructure in western North Carolina to expand emergency response capacity and repair Helene damage
- $25 million toward rebuilding damaged and destroyed farm infrastructure such as fences, barns, greenhouses and farm roads
- $20 million for flood mitigation grants to rebuild at-risk infrastructure
- $20 million to support volunteer organizations directly supporting recovery efforts
- $18 million to provide $50,000 grants to fire stations and EMS units across western North Carolina
- $15 million in firefighting equipment and contract personnel to the North Carolina Forest Service to enhance wildfire preparedness
- $8 million for damaged schools
North Carolina has received $1.45 billion in federal funding as of mid-April, and the federal Housing and Urban Development agency has approved the state’s action plan for $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery grants.
Additionally, the Trump administration has announced an additional $2.59 billion for recovery efforts, including $1.43 billion for Community Development Block Grants.
Earlier this year, State Auditor Dave Boliek set up a dashboard to track Helene recovery spending. The dashboard includes housing, Helene expenditures by multiple agencies and spending by the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC).
The data can be viewed at auditor.nc.gov/helene.
