North Carolina Democrats on the state and federal levels are pushing a range of grants, initiatives, and legislation to support the state’s ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
On the state level, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced 80 grants to fund repairs and renovations for storm-damaged infrastructure in the western NC region. The grants, which total over $50 million in funding, will go to local governments in FEMA-designated disaster areas.
“Local governments are on the frontlines of Hurricane Helene response and recovery, strengthening their communities and keeping people safe,” Gov. Stein said in a press release. “These grants will help local governments repair or replace critical infrastructure that they lost, restoring Helene-impacted towns and rebuilding them stronger.”
Governor Josh Stein also announced that the state is accepting applications for a new Hurricane Helene recovery program aiming to help repair rentals damaged by the major storm.
The new initiative, known as the Small Rental Rehabilitation Program, is for owners of up to four rental units affected by Hurricane Helene. According to the governor’s office, the program is focused on creating affordable rental units for low- to moderate-income families recovering from Hurricane Helene.
“This program will deliver critical relief for the rental housing supply in western North Carolina,” said Division of Community Revitalization Deputy Secretary and native western North Carolinian Stephanie McGarrah, in a release. “While recovery is a long process, we remain committed to moving with urgency and care to restore affordable rental units for our western North Carolina communities.”
Potential applicants seeking more information about the Renew NC Small Rental Rehabilitation Program can visit www.renewnc.org or call 1-888-791-0207.
On the federal level, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12), alongside Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), Valerie Foushee (NC-04) and Don Davis (NC-01) introduced the FEMA Administrative Reform Act earlier this month.
The act would help accelerate the flow of federal disaster recovery funding to Western North Carolina by “reducing red tape instituted by the Trump administration”. The North Carolina leaders highlighted the Trump administration and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s backlogging of critical aid.
“It has been over a year since Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, but red tape created by the Trump administration continues to delay the relief our communities are owed,” said Congresswoman Adams, in a press release. “Sec. Noem is more focused on sending federal agents to terrorize North Carolina cities than approving the aid North Carolinians are relying on to rebuild their lives. We cannot let bureaucracy impede recovery. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill so our citizens can finally get the help they deserve.”
Earlier this year, Noem implemented a policy requiring her personal review and approval of any contract above $100,000, including for disaster response funding. The new policy created a disaster aid backlog across the country, especially in western North Carolina.
According to the press release, the FEMA Administrative Reform Act would prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing any policy that would require their personal approval of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expenditures of $100,000 or more.
“After promising his full support for Western North Carolina during his first official visit of his second term, President Trump and his administration have hung Western North Carolinians out to dry,” said Congresswoman Ross, in a press release.
“Their disastrous approval process has created unnecessary challenges and delays for communities still trying to recover and rebuild their lives over a year after Hurricane Helene devastated our state. Secretary Noem has been too busy posing for immigration raid photos to approve much-needed funding for North Carolinians recovering from a historic disaster. It’s clear that Congress needs to take action, and this deeply misguided policy needs to be reversed”.
