Governor Josh Stein met with members of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., to thank them for their efforts and to urge additional federal funding for hurricane recovery in western North Carolina. He also met with acting FEMA Administrator Karen Evans to express appreciation for the approval of some Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) applications and called for continued cooperation. Western North Carolina Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Mayor Esther Manheimer and Senator Kevin Corbin joined the governor.
“The federal government has committed just over $7 billion toward western North Carolina’s recovery since Hurricane Helene. While we are grateful for every dollar and this aid has been critical to our recovery work, it represents only 12 percent of the storm’s total damage,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Typically, the federal government contributes about 50% of damage to the impacted state. It’s been more than a year since Congress has delivered relief for western North Carolina, and it’s time for the people of western North Carolina to get their fair share. Disaster recovery is a team sport, and western North Carolinians can’t afford for the federal government to sit on the sidelines.”
Governor Stein requested $13.5 billion in additional appropriations: $1.77 billion from USDOT mainly for road repairs; $8.37 billion from HUD primarily to help homeowners rebuild; $1.99 billion from FEMA largely as forgivable loans supporting local governments; and $540 million from EPA focused on restoring water infrastructure.
Other major storms such as Hurricanes Katrina, Maria, and Sandy received over 70 percent of their damages covered by federal funds. In contrast, North Carolina has so far received about 12 percent coverage through $7 billion in awards or disbursements, while Governor Stein’s request would raise that figure to 47 percent.
In addition to seeking new disaster supplemental funding, Governor Stein asked FEMA to act on pending HMGP applications submitted by the state. The first group of homeowners recently had their buyout applications approved under HMGP, which aims to reduce future disaster impacts by acquiring or elevating homes at risk of flooding. Over 550 home buyout applications worth $240 million have been submitted by North Carolina under this program, but many remain undecided by FEMA after several months’ wait—leaving some residents paying mortgages on destroyed homes.
Governor Stein pledged ongoing advocacy until these outstanding applications are addressed so affected families can plan ahead.
The Office of the Governor of North Carolina dates back to 1776 as its oldest public office and serves as chief executive responsible for enforcing laws, leading the Council of State and National Guard, managing appointments and pardons, directing policy through budget authority, and overseeing statewide operations according to its official website as well as state press releases. Josh Stein currently serves as the state’s 76th governor.
