Funding gaps remain as Helene recovery continues

Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina, causing an estimated $60 billion in damage, some families are still waiting to return home, and communities are still repairing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.

North Carolina has committed $706 million to the recovery in the state’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget. But Gov. Josh Stein says the state cannot meet the region’s remaining needs without more help from Washington. 

In a letter he sent to the North Carolina congressional delegation in June, Stein said that an estimated 56,000 homes across western North Carolina that were damaged or destroyed by Helene remain, leaving needs for housing for their former residents totaling $13 billion. As of May 15, the letter says, the federal government had awarded $8.3 billion for recovery; as of March 31, federal funding had covered only 14% of what was needed to cover total estimated damages. 

State agencies are using existing state and federal funds to rebuild homes and restore damaged water systems. 

According to a statement posted by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Renew NC, the state’s federally funded housing rehabilitation program, had completed 89 new single-family homes and had 71 more under construction as of July 15. More than 390 applicants were in the preconstruction phase of the process, it said. The program has also repaired or rebuilt 1,000 homes across western North Carolina. 

Beyond housing, the state Department of Environmental Quality has awarded more than $1 billion for water infrastructure projects since the storm. State officials said 98% of damaged water systems have been restored, but more than $758 million in additional projects remain unfunded. 

The state says the new funding is intended to keep that work moving. Most of the money, about $450 million, will cover the state’s required share of federally supported projects. The package also includes temporary relocation assistance, private road and bridge repair and grants for local governments and nonprofit housing organizations. Despite this, the state funding fell short of  the $792 million Gov. Stein proposed in his recommended budget in March by $86 million. 

In his letter to the congressional delegation, Stein asked for a revised total of $10.2 billion for housing, water systems, roads, local governments and economic recovery. He said that without additional funding, about 2,100 applicants would be left unserved by the state’s single-family housing program.

His request comes after President Donald Trump made Helene recovery part of his 2024 campaign, criticizing the Biden administration’s response while promising to help communities rebuild. During a Jan. 24, 2025, visit to western North Carolina, Trump promised “strong action to get North Carolina the support you need to quickly receive and rebuild.” When a reporter asked how much federal funding he planned to provide, Trump said he had not decided. That same day, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to expedite road, private bridge repair and housing assistance. However, the order did not provide any new money and stated that its implementation was subject to available appropriations.

The White House’s latest $87.6 billion supplemental funding request, submitted to Congress on June 24, did not include additional Helene aid.

As of July 30, 2026, Congress had not approved the request. Since Congress controls federal spending, lawmakers would have to add Helene funding during negotiations over the package or pursue separate legislation. 

With billions of dollars in recovery needs unfunded, Stein urged the congressional delegation to provide additional assistance as the state moves forward with the money it already has. 

“The people of western North Carolina are working hard on their recovery. Their state and federal government need to do their parts,” said Stein.