Stein calls For $13.5 billion In new funding from Congress for Hurricane Helene Recovery

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Governor Stein announced that he is requesting nearly $13.5 billion in new funding from Congress for Hurricane Helene recovery.

Those dollars will go toward restoring homes and small businesses, supporting local government services, and rebuilding roads and bridges for the long haul.

The Governor was joined by members of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery, including the co-chairs – Senator Kevin Corbin and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.

On Wednesday, the Governor will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal officials about the importance of these resources to western North Carolina’s recovery. 

Governor Stein’s proposal calls for $8 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to rebuild homes and small businesses.

The Governor is also requesting nearly $2 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Special Community Disaster Loans, which help local governments finance police and fire protection, revenue collection, hazard insurance, trash collection, and public facilities maintenance.

The request also includes $2 billion from the U.S. Department of Transportation to restore roads and critical infrastructure, including I-40, which has seen temporary repairs. 

Governor Stein is also calling on federal agencies to allocate funding to North Carolina that was previously appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025. The Governor’s full request, including the new $13.5 billion requested of Congress and outstanding allocations by federal agencies, totals $23 billion.