State agencies and communities in western North Carolina will soon be receiving another $29 million in federal public assistance reimbursements for Hurricane Helene recovery projects.
An announcement made on Friday by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was applauded by US Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, so much so that he said he will release his hold on the remaining DHS nominees Sean Plankey, who was nominated to be director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; and Pedro Allende, who was nominated to be under secretary for Science and Technology.
“I am grateful for Secretary Noem working with me to more regularly approve reimbursements for Helene and past disaster recovery projects,” Budd said in a press release. “While I have released my holds on DHS nominees, I will continue to engage all relevant federal agencies to make sure Western North Carolina receives the focus and attention it deserves, particularly the final distribution of funds to the municipalities and state agencies in desperate need of financial relief. There is still more work to be done to make the people of Western North Carolina whole in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, and the federal government must continue to do its part.”
I am grateful for @Sec_Noem working with me to more regularly approve reimbursements for Helene and past disaster recovery projects.
— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) December 5, 2025
While I have released my holds on @DHSgov nominees, I will continue to engage all relevant federal agencies to make sure WNC receives the focus &…
North Carolina Emergency Management, North Carolina Department of Transportation, Avery County, Asheville, Morganton, and Spruce Pine are the recipients in this round of funding.
The news follows last month’s announcement that DHS released $155 million in funding for various projects.
Budd lifted his hold on DHS general counsel nominee James Percival after the announcement.
Helene is estimated to have caused $60 billion in damage.
Also, as a reminder, homeowners who still need help repairing or replacing their homes after Helene and haven’t applied for the state’s Renew NC’s housing recovery assistance through the program’s Single Family Housing Program (SFHP) have until Dec. 31 to do so.
The program is open to homeowners who have already received assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or have a home insurance policy. SFHP is designed to address needs that remain when all other forms of aid have been exhausted.
The SFHP is administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) and provides the 4Rs to owners of homes damaged by Helene (reimbursement, replacement, reconstruction, and rehabilitation). Since its launch in June, the program has received over 6,000 applications, with five homes completed and several other projects underway in Hendersonville, Black Mountain, Gastonia, and other communities.
Low- to moderate-income families, including seniors 62 and older, children under 18, and/or disabled household members, are prioritized by SFHP. The program is open to 28 counties in western North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg (28214), Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.