State Launches $193.5M Infrastructure Grant Program for Helene-Impacted Counties as Renew NC Delivers First Completed Home

More than 18 months after Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction through western North Carolina, the state's long-term recovery program is delivering completed homes to survivors and preparing to launch a $193.5 million infrastructure grant competition — the largest investment yet in the region's rebuilding effort.

Renew NC, administered by the NC Department of Commerce's Division of Community Revitalization and funded through $1.4 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery dollars, has completed 30 single-family homes and has more than 130 additional projects under construction across the 28-county region.

What Is Renew NC and How Does It Work?

Renew NC is North Carolina's state-administered disaster recovery initiative, funded through Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) dollars allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG-DR grants are congressionally appropriated funds designed to help communities rebuild after presidentially declared disasters, with a focus on long-term resilience — and one of the few federal recovery tools that gives states direct control over how dollars are spent and where they go.

The Single-Family Housing Program connects eligible Helene survivors with dedicated case managers and licensed general contractors, guiding them from application through completed construction. Many families have already received keys to completed or newly constructed homes through the program.

Families Moving Back In

In Swannanoa, a survivor identified as Ms. Brown recently received the keys to a brand-new home built through the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program. Case managers Kailee and Joanna, along with the team from general contractor SLS, guided her from application through construction.

"I want to thank everyone — from Renew to Brandon at SLS," Ms. Brown said. "It's almost like God sent me the best."

In Mill Spring, a husband and wife whose home was severely damaged by Helene received keys to a newly constructed residence built in partnership with general contractor Shepherd Response. In Marion, a Yancey County couple has signed their grant agreement and is now in the pre-construction phase, preparing to break ground on a new home after their previous residence sustained significant storm damage.

The Single-Family Housing Program has received more than 7,000 applications since Helene struck in September 2024. North Carolina was the fastest state in more than a decade to begin rebuilding homes with HUD funding following a major hurricane, according to the NC Department of Commerce.

$193.5 Million Infrastructure Program Set to Open

With housing construction accelerating, Renew NC is preparing to launch the Community Infrastructure Program — a competitive grant initiative backed by approximately $193.5 million in CDBG-DR funding. Individual grants will range from $500,000 to $15 million per project.

The program will fund infrastructure projects directly tied to Helene's impacts, including flood control and drainage repairs, restoration of water and sewer systems, rehabilitation of schools and healthcare centers, and construction of public facilities. Mitigation projects designed to improve resilience against future natural hazards are also eligible.

Prescreening for local governments and nonprofits opened February 9. Full applications have not yet opened.

Cutting Through Washington, Demanding Accountability

Republican lawmakers have made clear they expect results — and they're pushing both state officials and the federal bureaucracy to move faster.

Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Macon), House majority whip, has pressed recovery officials to accelerate home completions and eliminate inefficiencies holding back mountain families.

"We got a lot of people scattered throughout the mountains that need help," Gillespie said. "We need to be focusing on helping them."

State officials say Washington red tape has been one of the biggest obstacles. FEMA reimbursements for basic recovery work — debris removal, facility repairs — have moved slowly, straining the budgets of local governments already stretched thin.

"Although we've seen a fair amount of FEMA awards of late, continued delays in processing FEMA reimbursements for things such as debris removal, or facility repairs, are still straining the finances of so many of our cash-strapped local governments," said Matt Calabria, director of the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina. "Funding issues and a lot of changes at the national level have trickled down and certainly affected things for us on the ground."

Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said North Carolina isn't waiting on Washington to lead. "Our teams have worked closely with local leaders and community partners to deliver solutions that respond to immediate needs while preparing western North Carolina for long-term success."

To learn more about the Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program, visit CommerceRecovery.nc.gov. Local government officials ready to begin the prescreening process can access the step-by-step guide here, and submit questions to dcr.grants@commerce.nc.gov.