Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, Gov. Josh Stein on Monday asked Congress for $13.5 billion in additional federal aid, saying more money and faster federal action are required to address record damage and speed recovery.
Stein also urged the federal government to distribute an additional $9.4 billion in federal funds that the state has already requested or expects but that remain tied up pending further action by U.S. agencies. State officials say $5.2 billion has been allocated or obligated so far for Helene relief, compared with an estimated $60 billion in damage and related costs from the September 2024 storm and floods that officials say were linked to more than 100 deaths.
Speaking at Blue Ridge Community College in Henderson County, about 30 miles south of Asheville, Stein said the state is “grateful for every federal dollar that we have received,” but warned that the next stage of recovery will require “a new commitment from Congress and from the administration to not forget the people of western North Carolina.” Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, co-chair of an Helene recovery advisory commission, said recovery costs exceed the cash-flow capacity of cities and counties in the region.
The administration proposed that about $8.1 billion of the request be channeled through the state's disaster recovery block grant program, with more than a third of that intended to rebuild or replace thousands of homes and businesses, provide rental assistance and fund storm mitigation. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has already awarded $1.65 billion of block grant funding to the state and to Asheville, officials said. The request would also fund forgivable loans for small businesses, the construction of private and municipal bridges, and support for homeless residents.
Other items in Stein's request include nearly $1.6 billion to increase reimbursements for rebuilding major roads, including Interstate 40 and I-26, and $1.75 billion for what the state described as “Special Community Disaster Loans” to help local governments maintain essential services. North Carolina's legislature and state agencies have already provided about $3.1 billion toward Helene recovery since last fall.
Stein criticized what he called “extra layers of bureaucratic review” that have slowed reimbursements to local governments, even as more relief money has recently been permitted for distribution. He said he planned to take his supplemental request to Washington on Wednesday.
The governor has sought to balance cooperation with the Trump administration on recovery activities and public criticism of delays. When Stein made an earlier pitch for supplemental recovery funds this month, a White House spokesperson criticized the move, saying the request was evidence that he was unfit to run a state.
Meanwhile, the region received a modest tourism boost Monday when the National Park Service announced the reopening of a 27-mile stretch of a popular scenic route after repairs to landslide damage were completed. The reopening restores transportation access to Mount Mitchell State Park, which contains the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.
It remains unclear how Stein’s broad supplemental request will be received by the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress, where competing priorities and political differences could shape the pace and size of any additional federal aid.