Governor Stein Highlights Helene Housing Recovery, Visits Polk County Worksite of Nonprofit Helping to Rebuild Western North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA, January 9 - Today Governor Stein visited Saluda to tour a home repaired by the Housing Assistance Corporation, a volunteer organization working to rebuild homes across western North Carolina. In October, the nonprofit was awarded a $300,000 grant to repair at least 20 homes in Polk, Henderson, and Transylvania counties as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to support volunteer organizations active in housing repair and replacement activities in western North Carolina.

“After Hurricane Helene, too many families across western North Carolina were left without a safe place to call home,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This grant program funded by the General Assembly is empowering nonprofits like the Housing Assistance Corporation to work alongside their neighbors to restore their homes. We are not letting up on the work of rebuilding.”

“As a local housing nonprofit serving three WNC counties, we decided after Hurricane Helene to launch a new disaster recovery team to accompany the community through this chapter,” said Margaret Fenton Lebeck, Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Assistance Corporation. “North Carolina’s grant allows us to have an even greater impact - helping more families return home.”

In 2025, Governor Stein deployed more than $16 million in grants to nonprofit volunteer organizations active in housing repair and replacement activities in western NC (VORGs). These grants support critical work by local organizations, including repairing roofs, septic systems, and electrical wiring, to make homes safe and livable again.

Volunteer organizations were eligible to apply if they were actively involved in ongoing repair and reconstruction projects in Helene-impacted counties that fell under the Federal Disaster Declaration. These grants were made available through S.L. 2025-2, which Governor Stein signed into law on March 19, 2025. The General Assembly recently added an additional $18 million in funding to this program to support volunteer organizations, and a new notice of funding opportunity has been released to continue granting awards that support recovery.

Governor Stein is focused on rebuilding western North Carolina and supporting long-term recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. Last month, Governor Stein announced nearly $50 million in grants to help local governments repair, renovate, or replace storm-damaged infrastructure. He also recently announced $500,000 in home winterization grants awarded to two nonprofit organizations assisting with housing rebuild and repair projects across western North Carolina.  

VORG grants complement Renew NC, the state’s homebuilding and renovation program led by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization. The program has received more than 7,000 applications for single-family homes, and the deadline to apply has been extended until January 31, 2025. Last month, Governor Stein announced the launch of Renew NC’s second recovery initiative, the Small Rental Rehabilitation Program.  

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 a.m. to 6 p.m. Renew NC also operates more than a dozen additional locations across western North Carolina, each with varying hours throughout the week.

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. Program staff can help determine if the homeowner qualifies for assistance. The Renew NC app is also available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. More information about the administration of the Renew NC programs can be found on the Division of Community Revitalization’s website at CommerceRecovery.nc.gov.