Nearly 22 months after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, state officials are highlighting the rebuilding of homes while thousands of applications remain in various stages of the recovery process.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein handed Asheville homeowner Velma Chapman the keys to a newly rebuilt home on July 15 through the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program.
Chapman lost the home where she had lived for 28 years after Hurricane Helene caused severe damage in September 2024.
“Ms. Velma’s home was damaged so badly by Hurricane Helene that it would have cost more to repair it than to replace it,” Stein said. “After the longtime homeowner’s insurance company denied her claim, Renew NC’s Single-Family Housing Program connected her with case managers and builders, and today she got the keys to her new home.”
Stein said the state’s ongoing recovery efforts include additional funding approved through the recently signed state budget.
“The budget I signed last week includes $700 million for Hurricane Helene recovery, including $75 million for temporary housing funds so people have places to stay while their homes are under construction and for home repairs,” Stein said in a statement.
The Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program is funded by a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program repairs, reconstructs, or replaces owner-occupied homes damaged by Hurricane Helene.
“Through Renew NC’s work and our partnership with volunteer organizations, we have repaired and rebuilt more than 1,000 homes for western North Carolinians,” Stein said.
Stephanie McGarrah, deputy secretary of the Division of Community Revitalization, said Chapman’s homecoming reflects the purpose of the program.
“Today is about Ms. Chapman and the joy of seeing her walk through the door of a safe, secure place she can call home,” McGarrah said. “With nearly 400 more homes currently in pre-construction with the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program, we look forward to celebrating many more homecomings like this one in the months ahead.”
According to the Renew NC program dashboard, as of July 15, 2026, the program had received thousands of applications from counties impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The dashboard showed 7,924 total active applications, with 5,366 applications listed as inactive or ineligible. The program defines inactive or ineligible applications as those that have withdrawn or did not meet program requirements. It is unclear where those who are deemed ineligible are currently living.
The program reported 89 completed single-family homes, 71 homes under construction, and more than 390 applicants in pre-construction.
The numbers reflect the continued scale of recovery more than 20 months after Helene struck western North Carolina.
In Rutherford County, where flooding destroyed homes and infrastructure in communities along the Broad River, including Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and Rutherfordton, Renew NC reported 384 total applications, including 142 active applications.
Neighboring counties also continue to have significant demand. Henderson County reported 958 total applications and 340 active applications. Buncombe County reported 2,151 total applications and 765 active applications. McDowell County reported 626 total applications and 163 active applications.
Other western counties with high numbers of applications included Haywood County with 508 total applications and 163 active applications; Mitchell County with 335 total applications and 90 active applications; Yancey County with 474 total applications and 118 active applications; Avery County with 344 total applications and 93 active applications; and Watauga County with 348 total applications and 140 active applications.
Renew NC officials said the program works with local governments, community partners, and contractors to move eligible applicants through the process.
“To facilitate moving homes into the construction phase, Renew NC is coordinating with the state of North Carolina, trusted community partners, and approved general contractors to provide temporary relocation assistance to Single-Family Housing Program applicants who have exhausted all other relocation options,” the governor’s office said.
The program prioritizes low-to-moderate-income households, including seniors age 62 and older, families with children under 18, and households with disabled members.
The state has also launched additional recovery programs, including a $55 million infrastructure funding opportunity for western North Carolina communities and a $70 million Multi-Family Construction and Repair Program for affordable rental housing.
Renew NC also created a Commercial District Revitalization Program to assist businesses and local economies damaged by Helene.
The recovery process includes federal requirements designed to prevent duplication of benefits when homeowners have received other disaster assistance.
Applicants must verify any previous assistance, including fundraisers, before receiving final awards, and any unresolved duplication issues must be addressed before moving forward.
While state officials continue to point to completed homes as evidence of progress, many homeowners remain in the application and review process.
For Chapman, the milestone marks a return to stability after losing the home she had known for nearly three decades.
