Renew NC has completed repairs on the first home through its Single-Family Housing Program, part of North Carolina’s long-term disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. The program is funded by a federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
North Carolina is the first state impacted by Hurricane Helene to begin home renovation and reconstruction using HUD CDBG-DR funds. It is also the fastest state in over ten years to start rebuilding homes after a major hurricane with this type of funding, following Hurricane Sandy.
Governor Josh Stein commented on the progress: “Rebuilding safe and sustainable housing is crucial to helping western North Carolina get back on its feet. Completing our first home is an important milestone in the Hurricane Helene recovery process. I applaud my team for moving at record speed. Let’s keep swinging hammers and getting more families back home.”
The Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program, administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization, has received more than 1,900 applications from homeowners seeking assistance to repair or rebuild properties damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. A public dashboard tracking application progress is available at RenewNC.org, updated daily with information such as total applications received and their status.
The program targets low- to moderate-income families in communities heavily affected by the storm across 29 counties, aiming to address remaining long-term recovery needs using $807 million in federal funds allocated for single-family housing support.
Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley stated: “We know that housing is the key to rebuilding communities impacted by Helene. We are committed to getting our neighbors back home as quickly and safely as we can, and Renew NC is essential to that effort.”
Matalene Waters was the first homeowner approved for assistance through SFHP. She described how her house was severely damaged when floodwaters rose into her backyard during Hurricane Helene: “When Helene came, the flood came down the street and into the backyard, and it came all the way up to the [outdoor] light sockets. It flooded all of my furniture and appliances, so we had to destroy all of that. You don’t realize how much it affects your mind. You’re thinking you’re okay, but you’re not.” Her daughter April Stewart helped her apply for aid: “My mom is my hero. To get her back into her home, that was the plan. It wasn’t about relocating, uprooting her. This is where her roots are. This is where my children’s memories are. To get her back into her home, that was the priority.”
Stephanie McGarrah, Deputy Secretary for DCR said: “With the construction phase of our Single-Family Housing Program underway, we’re looking forward to helping restore housing stability across the region,” adding that “We can’t understate the importance of this work.”
Local residents have been hired at Renew NC call centers and mobile pop-up sites as well as canvassing teams identifying eligible homeowners who have not yet applied for help—a community-based approach credited with increasing applications from 1,000 on August 12th to over 1,900 by August 27th.
Homeowners in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland,Gaston Haywood,Henderson Jackson Lincoln Macon Madison McDowell Mitchell Polk Rutherford Surry Swain Transylvania Watauga Wilkes Yadkin Yancey counties—and ZIP code 28214 in Mecklenburg County—can seek assistance via RenewNC.org or at local offices.
Of $1.4 billion allocated statewide for western North Carolina’s recovery needs through CDBG-DR grants from HUD,$807 million supports single-family housing repairs via Renew NC.HUD’s Disaster Recovery programs provide states with resources aimed at addressing unmet needs after disasters.
Later this year,R enew NC will introduce additional programs focused on multi-family rental projects and workforce ownership opportunities; infrastructure and economic revitalization initiatives are also planned.More details about program administration can be found online.
