North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced an additional $255.8 million in funding for 85 recovery projects in North Carolina as rebuilding efforts continue following Hurricane Helene.
The funding, delivered through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, will support debris removal, infrastructure repairs and emergency protective measures across the state. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the agency continues to allocate funding despite a prolonged lapse in federal appropriations that has significantly reduced the Disaster Relief Fund, FEMA’s primary source of disaster response financing.
FEMA is working to address a backlog of funding requests while continuing to distribute resources. The current funding lapse, now 68 days in, is the longest in U.S. history.
“I’ve seen firsthand the determination and hard work of those in North Carolina who are still working to rebuild and recover after Helene,” Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. “This additional funding is another step in our commitment to make sure communities have the support they need to clear debris, rebuild critical infrastructure and move forward.”
Among the largest allocations:
- $125.5 million to North Carolina Emergency Management for emergency measures and debris removal
- $57.6 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for road repairs and emergency work
- $42.7 million to Cleveland County for debris removal
- $5 million to the city of Asheville for debris removal
- $2.9 million to Madison County for infrastructure-related emergency measures
- $1.6 million to Yancey County for debris removal
- $1.5 million to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for public building repairs
- $1.4 million to the town of Old Fort for public building repairs
- $1.2 million to the city of Brevard for road and culvert repairs
Officials said FEMA’s disaster housing program for Helene survivors is also nearing completion. Of the 234 households initially enrolled, nearly all have transitioned to permanent housing, with 72 families purchasing their FEMA units, in some cases with assistance from voluntary agencies. Two families remain in temporary units.
To date, FEMA has provided more than $5 billion toward North Carolina’s recovery from the storm. That includes $1.87 billion for nearly 2,400 public recovery projects and more than $565.6 million in direct assistance to approximately 161,000 households for housing and other essential needs.