North Carolina Secures $1.4 Billion HUD Grant for Hurricane Helene Recovery

Governor Josh Stein announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved North Carolina’s Action Plan for a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) to aid western North Carolina’s rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Helene. North Carolina submitted its Helene Action Plan to HUD faster than any other state in the past decade following a major hurricane.

“This is great news for western North Carolina,” said Governor Stein. “I thank the Trump Administration for moving quickly to approve this plan so we can get busy rebuilding people’s homes.”

The approval marks a critical step toward accessing the federal funds, first announced in January. Once HUD certifies the state’s financial controls, North Carolina can sign the grant agreement and begin allocating funds, prioritizing housing and economic revitalization.

The CDBG-DR grant targets long-term recovery, addressing unmet needs in housing, infrastructure, and economic development after other funding sources, like private insurance, are exhausted. The Helene Action Plan allocates the majority of funds to housing recovery for low- and moderate-income residents, with additional support for infrastructure rebuilding and economic revitalization.

“We’ve learned so much from the many people and organizations that have taken time to offer their suggestions, and I’m grateful for everyone’s participation so far,” said Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah. “We know the road to full recovery will be a long journey, but the Department of Commerce and my team are ready to get to work.”

The state’s swift submission and HUD’s approval pave the way for western North Carolina to begin its recovery from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.