June 10, 2026: Letter from Governor Stein to the North Carolina Congressional Delegation

North Carolina Congressional Delegation 
United States Congress  
Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Members of North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation, 

Twenty months ago, Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, leaving behind roughly $60 billion in damage, the costliest natural disaster in our state’s history. In the months since, the partnership among the state of North Carolina, local governments, private philanthropy, and the federal government has helped families return home, reopen businesses, and start to put communities back together. I am writing to thank you for that support, to show you what that support has already made possible, and to ask for your continued investment in a recovery that is far from finished.

Our state has taken an active approach to this recovery. North Carolina has committed roughly $2.4 billion in direct state appropriations – including $395 million to match federal dollars – more than for any other past disaster. Additionally, state agencies have redirected more than $2 billion toward Helene recovery. Private insurance has paid out about $5 billion, and nonprofit and philanthropic partners have contributed at least $1.4 billion. Combined with the $8.3 billion in federal funding awarded as of May 15, this recovery has shown how critical partnership is across all levels of government, nonprofits, and private sector. It is a shared effort, one we intend to honor by spending every dollar wisely and quickly.

We are putting those dollars to work and continually monitoring our progress, refining our approach, and funding requests accordingly. When we submitted our $13.48 billion request in September 2025, it reflected the best information we had at the time. Nine months of challenging experience and hard data have sharpened the picture considerably. I am pleased to report that FEMA Public Assistance approvals have accelerated. Through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, FEMA has approved at least 372 voluntary acquisitions. I thank you for that positive development. Through state and federally funded efforts, we have repaired or rebuilt more than 1,000 homes, and more than 2,800 others are in-process. North Carolina got its federally funded housing program up and running faster than any state impacted by a major hurricane in more than a decade. And North Carolina was the first state to distribute its share of the EPA State Revolving Fund for Hurricane Helene, funding 127 water and sewer projects totaling $645 million.

With this significant progress, we now know with more precision where gaps remain. And there is no doubt significant gaps remain. As of March 31, federal funding covered only about 14 percent of total estimated damages. At present funding levels, roughly 2,100 applicants will remain unserved in the state’s current single-family housing program.  The single and multi-family housing needs are much greater as a total 56,000 damaged and destroyed homes remain across the region, for a total estimated unmet need of approximately $13 billion. Every dollar of the EPA revolving funds is now fully committed, yet eligible water and wastewater investments of at least an additional $655 million remain unfunded. Many local facilities, from dams and streambanks to municipal roads, fall outside FEMA’s PA eligibility and have no other path to repair without alternative federal assistance programs. Local governments are still absorbing revenue losses that strain their abilities to deliver basic services, let alone cover the costs of repairing and building necessary new infrastructure.

Using updated data and evidence, we have refined the state’s request to reflect current needs. Drawing on our analysis of FEMA submittals, application data, and a great deal of information gathered regarding local needs, the revised request now totals approximately $10.15 billion. 

As you will note, the above chart details an approximate $3 billion reduction. Among other things, it accounts for federal and state funds that have since been awarded and to right size against revised damage estimates. At the same time, we raised the state’s housing and water infrastructure request because the data show continued, real and immediate unmet needs, and the state has a proven ability to get these funds invested in communities quickly and effectively where they can make a difference.  

We recognize that some of these figures will be refined through the conversations ahead with you, OMB, HUD, and EPA, and we welcome that dialogue. I am committed to working alongside you to ensure that this recovery is done well and done urgently – families housed, businesses open, water systems running, roads repaired, and communities better prepared for the next storm.

Recovery on this scale is a multiyear effort, and additional federal investment will be needed in the years ahead, including support through FEMA’s BRIC program to make western North Carolina more resilient against future storms. But the work in front of us is clear, and the case for it is grounded in real data. I am grateful for your partnership and for your continued advocacy on behalf of our state. Rebuilding takes all of us – federal, state, and local governments and nonprofit and for-profit organizations – working together. All of us can take inspiration from the remarkable grit of the people of western North Carolina to drive their own recovery. Let’s match their drive and do our part. 

Sincerely,

Josh Stein
Governor