RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina legislators have reached an agreement to allocate an extra $524 million towards ongoing recovery needs following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic flooding nearly six months ago. The focus remains on repairing homes and private roads, bolstering agriculture, and enhancing infrastructure to support local businesses.
Republican members within the House and Senate resolved their differences on competing bill versions and voted decisively for the compromise. This comprehensive measure adds $327 million to tackle recovery from previous storms and other unnamed disasters. The bill was then sent to Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, who signed it during a ceremony – marking his inaugural signing as governor. In his recent State of the State address, Stein expressed his willingness to enact relief legislation.
Governor Stein had initially requested an additional $1.07 billion specifically for Helene relief efforts in the mountainous regions last month. However, the final measure omitted some of his program requests or funded them minimally, as Republicans opted for a more conservative fiscal approach. Nonetheless, both Stein and lawmakers expect further Helene relief funds to be assigned in the coming months.
“This is our next step, not our final step,” GOP Sen. Ralph Hise from Mitchell County emphasized during the debate, which saw unanimous Senate approval of the bill. Stein’s office has reported that over $1.1 billion has already been appropriated or made available for Helene recovery initiatives.
“This bill will enable us to commence essential disaster recovery initiatives, but it’s clear the funding is insufficient and marks just the beginning,” Stein conveyed to reporters. The allocated funds are relatively minimal compared to the staggering $59.6 billion in damages and recovery needs estimated by state officials, who also recorded more than 100 fatalities from the late September storm. Stein’s administration is optimistic that December’s disaster relief authorized by Congress and other federal funding avenues could eventually bring more than $15 billion to North Carolina for Helene recovery. He also seeks an extra $13 billion from federal sources.
State data reveals that last week approximately 4,600 households in western counties were still receiving temporary housing aid, and over 200 regional public roads remain closed or partially open. The new measure dedicates $100 million to repairing or replacing roads and bridges on private properties – often the sole connection between isolated communities and the broader world.
An additional $120 million is earmarked to initiate a home reconstruction and repair program, as the state paves the way to obtain nearly $1.4 billion from the federal government to support similar construction and mitigation efforts. For agricultural recovery, $200 million will address Helene-related crop losses, debris removal, and various needs. Plus, there’s more than $110 million aimed at covering agricultural losses caused by other storms and drought throughout 2024.
Furthermore, the bill designates $217 million more to complete almost 1,000 unfinished home construction projects for victims of previous hurricanes, including Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018. These efforts have faced significant delays and unforeseen costs.
“Families who have waited far too long will finally get the relief they deserve,” House Majority Leader Brenden Jones stated post House vote. “With strict oversight to ensure every dollar is used properly — we are finishing the job once and for all.”
Additionally, $9 million has been allocated for a voluntary summer school program in districts that faced extended closures due to Helene. Although this funding is less than requested by Stein, the initiative stands to help affected students significantly.
Stein’s proposal for two business grant programs designed to aid companies facing severe economic or physical damages was excluded. Instead, Republican lawmakers, wary of direct payments, allocated $55 million for local government grants. These funds could subsequently be utilized for infrastructure projects benefiting small businesses, such as repairs to sewers, utilities, and sidewalks.
—
The article has been revised to reflect the officials’ decision to allocate another $524 million, not $528 million.
