Renew NC has completed repairs on the first home approved under its Single-Family Housing Program (SFHP), part of North Carolina’s long-term disaster recovery effort. 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 affected by Hurricane Helene to begin a home renovation and reconstruction program, and it is also the fastest state since Hurricane Sandy to start rebuilding homes using HUD CDBG-DR funding.
“Rebuilding safe and sustainable housing is crucial to helping western North Carolina get back on its feet,” said Governor Josh Stein. “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 SFHP, administered through the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization, has received over 1,900 applications for assistance to repair or rebuild homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. A public dashboard tracking application progress is available at RenewNC.org, showing daily updates on total applications received, county breakdowns, and review status.
The program targets long-term recovery needs for homeowners in western North Carolina with $807 million in federal funds, prioritizing low- to moderate-income families in areas hit hardest by the storm. Homeowners in 29 counties are eligible to apply.
“We know that housing is the key to rebuilding communities impacted by Helene,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “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 applicant approved for assistance through SFHP. She described how Hurricane Helene left her home uninhabitable: “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 after learning about SFHP from work colleagues, neighbors, friends, and family members concerned about Waters’ situation: “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.”
“With the construction phase of our Single-Family Housing Program underway, we’re looking forward to helping restore housing stability across the region,” said Division of Community Revitalization Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah. “We can’t understate the importance of this work.”
Renew NC employs local residents at call centers and mobile pop-up sites as well as canvassing teams who help identify homeowners who may qualify but have not yet applied for assistance—a strategy credited with increasing applications from 1,000 on August 12 to over 1,900 by August 27.
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,
and Yancey counties—as well as ZIP code 28214 in Mecklenburg County—are eligible for support through Renew NC programs.
Information about eligibility can be found at RenewNC.org or by calling (888) 791-0207; staff are also available at in-person locations statewide.
The Renew NC app can be downloaded via Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Of $1.4 billion allocated overall for western North Carolina recovery needs through CDBG-DR grants from HUD,more than half supports the Single-Family Housing Program.
Later this year two additional programs will launch: Multi-Family Housing—supporting both small rental projects with seven or fewer units as well as larger developments—and Workforce Housing for Ownership aimed at affordable options for working families.
Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization initiatives will also roll out soon.
Further details on program administration are available at CommerceRecovery.nc.gov.
