Special to IFN

Gov. Josh Stein is requesting nearly $13.5 billion in new funding from Congress for Hurricane Helene recovery. Those dollars will go toward restoring homes and small businesses, supporting local government services, and rebuilding roads and bridges for the long haul, Stein said on Monday.

The governor was joined by members of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery, including the co-chairs – Senator Kevin Corbin and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. The governor traveled to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to meet with federal officials about the importance of these resources to western North Carolina’s recovery.

“Nearly a year has passed since Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, and it’s been nearly nine months since Congress last appropriated money toward recovery. Just like folks in the gulf states, the mid-Atlantic, and Puerto Rico, the people of western North Carolina deserve federal support after a major hurricane, and the time to act is now,” Stein explained. “Western North Carolinians are counting on the federal government for help to rebuild homes, support small businesses, and repair roads. I call on Congress to deliver for western North Carolina its fair share and appropriate an additional $13.5 billion in funding for Helene recovery.”

“The damage caused by Helene was immense, and western North Carolina needs federal funds to fully rebuild,” said Sen. Corbin. “I am proud to work across the aisle to advocate for western North Carolina’s recovery, and I urge Congress to pass the state’s request so we can get more resources to communities out west.”

Stein’s proposal calls for $8 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to rebuild homes and small businesses. The governor is also requesting nearly $2 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Special Community Disaster Loans, which help local governments finance police and fire protection, revenue collection, hazard insurance, trash collection, and public facilities maintenance. The request also includes $2 billion from the U.S. Department of Transportation to restore roads and critical infrastructure, including I-40, which has seen temporary repairs.

Stein is also calling on federal agencies to allocate funding to North Carolina that was previously appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025.

The governor’s full request, including the new $13.5 billion requested of Congress and outstanding allocations by federal agencies, totals $23 billion.

In total, federal support to date amounts to approximately 9% of the total damage western North Carolina suffered. Meanwhile, storms that were similarly devastating – such as Hurricanes Katrina, Maria, and Sandy – saw 70% of the cost of recovery efforts covered by federal funding.

Stein’s $23 billion request would bring the federal support North Carolina received to 47%.