Today Governor Josh Stein and NC Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley visited a completed home rehabilitation project in Fairview to highlight Renew NC’s work to repair and rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. Western North Carolinians who are seeking assistance in rebuilding Helene-damaged homes have until December 31, 2025, to submit an application to the state’s Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program (SFPH). Governor Stein met with Fairview artist Lee Pantas, whose home was damaged by Hurricane Helene, and toured his new home built by Renew NC.
“Standing here with Lee in his new home is what this work is all about,” said Governor Josh Stein. “After Helene, so many folks across western North Carolina lost their homes, and their sense of stability. Thanks to the Renew NC program, these families are finally able to come home.”
“Throughout western North Carolina, Renew NC is helping families get back home and get their lives back on track,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our program is the fastest in the country, but we’re committed to going even faster to get communities back together.”
“Renew NC is helping communities regain their footing one household at a time, and each home represents progress you can see and touch,” said Division of Community Revitalization Deputy Secretary and native western North Carolinian Stephanie McGarrah. “As we continue building, our focus remains on creating safe and resilient homes for the people of western North Carolina.”
Renew NC is North Carolina’s long-term disaster recovery program, managed by the Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) within the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The program helps families rebuild and repair homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. It is funded by a Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
North Carolina was the first state impacted by Hurricane Helene to launch a home rebuilding and renovation program – and the fastest state in more than a decade to begin reconstruction using HUD CDBG-DR funding following a major hurricane.
The Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program is addressing long-term recovery needs of homeowners in western North Carolina, using $807 million in federal funding. The program prioritizes low- to moderate-income (LMI) families in communities that suffered the greatest damage from Helene, the most destructive storm in North Carolina’s history. Homeowners in 29 counties may be eligible to apply for assistance. Learn more on RenewNC’s Single-Family Housing dashboard to track the progress of the applications.
Homeowners seeking more information about the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program can visit RenewNC.org, call (888) 791-0207, or visit an in-person location for help determining eligibility. The Renew NC app is also available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.