Homeowners impacted by Hurricane Helene have until Dec. 31 to apply for Renew NC’s housing recovery assistance through the program’s Single Family Housing Program (SFHP).
“Renew NC wants to help as many western North Carolina homeowners recover from Hurricane Helene as possible – but folks need to raise their hand so we can get it done,” said Gov. Josh Stein, in a press release. “Please spread the word so your family, friends, and neighbors know Renew NC may be an option to help them repair, reconstruct, or even replace their storm-damaged homes and get their application in this month.”
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.
Of the five completed projects, two are mobile home replacements in Mill Springs, and the other three are home rehabilitations in Fairview, Fletcher, and Hendersonville. Three additional home reconstruction projects are projected to be completed by mid-December.
Low- to moderate-income families, including seniors 62 and older, children 18 and younger, 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.
“Our priority is to make sure every eligible homeowner knows help is available – and that applying is simple, accessible, and supported every step of the way,” said DCR Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah in a press release. “From our intake centers to our door-to-door teams, Renew NC is committed to helping families rebuild stronger after Helene.”
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.
SFHP reports steady progress across its application intake workflow as of December 1: 68 signed grant agreements, 63 projects assigned to general contractors, 13 projects issued notices to proceed, and eight projects currently under construction.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds renew NC programs through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CBDG-DR) grants. $1.4 billion was appropriated for recovery needs in western North Carolina, out of which $807 million was reported to Renew NC.
Homeowners can receive in-person assistance in English or Spanish at Renew NC intake centers in Asheville, Boone, and Marion, where case managers are available Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. Renew NC also runs more than a dozen other sites across western North Carolina, each with its own schedule of operating hours.
