Governor Stein Takes Action on Hurricane Helene Recovery

Just one day after his swearing in on January 1, NC Governor Josh Stein visited Asheville on Jan. 2 to announce state aid for the hurricane-ravaged region.

Governor Josh Stein
Governor Josh Stein

Asheville was the epicenter of Hurricane Helene, which became a tropical storm as it lost some wind speed in the Appalachians.

The storm hit the region Sept. 27, 2024, devastating Buncombe County and many parts of the surrounding counties, including destroying highways, roads, bridges, waterways, and thousands of homes and businesses. More than 8,000 private roads and bridges were damaged and over 12,000 people remain displaced, along with thousands of small businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Stein came to Asheville to discuss the five Executive Orders he signed on his first full day as governor, all of them designed to fast-track aid to those impacted by the hurricane. He then returned to the city on Jan. 7, 2025, accompanied by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Adrianne Todman, to announce a sixth EO designed to ensure fuel accessibility during the winter months and announce federal grants for housing.

Housing, Roads, and Bridges

“Winter is here in western North Carolina, and we must act quickly to get people in temporary housing, repair private roads and bridges, and keep people safe,” said Stein. “I will do everything in my power to make sure we are both thinking creatively and acting swiftly to help our neighbors recover.”

Business Grants Needed

Among the changes he called for in the recovery process was business support through grants rather than loans. He noted that the current Congress just passed a Continuing Resolution that will renew and maintain funding for six months into mid-2025, but at the same levels as last year, despite the increase in need.

He pointed out, “Many small businesses have insurance that can help with some costs, but they’ve already had to take out loans for many costs that aren’t covered. Small business can’t afford to take on more debt, so we need a grant program to help rather than more loans.”

He added, “If businesses fail, there’ll be cascading pain across the region. We have to move forward in every way we can. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving.’ And that’s what we are doing.”

The governor then outlined the first five executive orders he signed.

Executive Order No. 1 Increasing Temporary Housing Supply in Western NC

This Executive Order pertains to purchasing of Transportable Temporary Housing Units to be placed in the North Carolina “Designated Counties” identified in the FEMA Major Disaster Declaration, These are manufactured housing units designed to be used as a temporary dwelling.

The order authorizes the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) to buy up to 1000 Units and, to do so most efficiently, to waive such requirements as creating a formal bidding process, using certain types of solicitation documents, or advertising a bidding process. However, DPS must continue to comply with all applicable FEMA and federal regulations and to “make all reasonable efforts to obtain the highest quality units at the best price to the State.”

Executive Order No. 2 Repairing Roads and Bridges

This order delegates the governor’s authority to establish emergency assistance funds to the Director of the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to administer state assistance for the repair of private roads and bridges.

It also requires, to the extent possible, that the state use vendors the DEM, the NC Department of Transportation, or other state agencies have existing statewide contracts. The order permits the Division Director to waive certain strictures, including engaging in formal or informal bidding procedures or solicitation documents normally required. However, “in procuring vendors to complete the repairs, the Division shall comply with all applicable FEMA and federal regulations and make all reasonable efforts to obtain the highest quality services at the best price to the State.”

Also, to expedite the implementation of repair programs for private roads and bridges, “the Division is directed—to the maximum extent permitted by state and federal law—to develop standards that allow owners to prove ownership through indicia of ownership such as a recent property tax bill, mortgage documents, homeowners’ insurance documents, will or affidavit of ownership, home purchase contracts, and receipts for major repairs or maintenance.”

GROW Advisory Commission members, Buncombe County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards, Commissioner Al Whitesides, and Asheville City Council member Kim Roney.
GROW Advisory Commission members, Buncombe County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards, Commissioner Al Whitesides, and Asheville City Council member Kim Roney.

Executive Order No. 3 Reorganizing Executive Branch to Meet Needs of Western NC

The Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (“GROW NC”) is hereby established within the Office of the Governor. GROW NC shall be responsible for:

  1. Creating the Executive Branch’s cross-agency vision for Helene recovery efforts and developing strategies and plans related thereto;
  2. Overseeing, coordinating, and accelerating the western North Carolina revitalization efforts of the Executive Branch and its agencies;
  3. Developing and deploying the expertise and innovation necessary for a swift and robust recovery effort;
  4. Providing transparency regarding the progress of recovery efforts through updates to the public;
  5. Coordinating recovery-related intergovernmental communications, including liaising with the North Carolina General Assembly and federal officials regarding North Carolina’s recovery-related needs;
  6. Satisfying the Executive Branch’s reporting requirements regarding the use of disaster relief funds as set out in Parts VI and VII of N.C. Sess. Law 2024-51; and
  7. Staffing and providing administrative assistance to the Governor’s Advisory Committee on western North Carolina Recovery.

GROW NC shall be led by a Director of GROW NC and shall have such additional staff as he or she or the Governor deem necessary.

The Executive Order also establishes a Division of Community Revitalization to coordinate various executive branch offices in the recovery process.

Executive Order No. 4 & 5 Establishing Advisory Committee on Western NC Recovery

Committee members will advise the governor on community needs including temporary housing, relief to small businesses, repairing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, and “coordinate with local, state, federal and nonprofit agencies on relief efforts.” The committee will also be responsible for making recommendations for relief funding to the NC legislature and the state’s representatives in Congress.

The final Executive Order requires that state cabinet agencies and participating Council of State agencies, commissions, and boards should provide state employees with an additional sixteen hours of paid community service leave, to be used for volunteer work in restoring the region’s infrastructure and other storm-related projects.

Other Community Leaders Participate

Among those joining Gov. Stein for the presentation were State Representative Kevin Corcoran of the 17th district and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, who will serve as co-chairs of the Advisory Committee, which requires that co-chairs “shall not reside in the same county.”

Other advisory committee members who attended the press conference include State Senator Julie Mayfield, NC Representatives Eric Ager and Lindsey Prather, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller, Robin Ramsey from Sen. Thom Tillis’s office, newly elected Buncombe County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards, Commissioners Al Whitesides, Martin Moore, and Terry Wells; and Asheville City Council member Kim Roney, Black Mountain Mayor Mike Sobol, and numerous other community leaders.

Sixth Executive Order Issued

Five days after his visit to Asheville, the governor released a sixth Executive Order, issued on January 7, which waives waiving federal limits on the amount of time drivers of trucks transporting propane or essential heating fuels to western North Carolina can be on the road. This order will allow those truckers to work longer hours if necessary to deliver fuels where needed.

On this visit, Stein was accompanied by HUD Secretary Todman to announce two major Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) awards, totaling more than $1.65 billion. He thanked both HUD and the state’s congressional delegation for working together as WNC “continue[s] to recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. These grant awards will help us make progress rebuilding homes, repairing critical infrastructure, and providing relief to small businesses,” Stein said.

Echoing the governor’s remarks, Todman noted, “This $1.65 billion in disaster discovery funds will help rebuild homes, develop affordable housing, assist impacted small businesses, and repair roads, schools, water treatment plants and other critical infrastructure. The impacts of these funds will be felt for years to come—especially for disaster survivors and communities in the most impacted areas.”

Asheville to Receive Almost $225 Million

The awards include $1,428,120,000 to the State of North Carolina and $225,010,000 directly to the City of Asheville, which is an “entitlement community” within the CDBG program. The funding comes from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2025, enacted on Dec. 21, 2024.

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer remarked, “These funds will give us the opportunity to repair and enhance infrastructure, address housing, and support business recovery. Restoring our city’s infrastructure is a top priority and rebuilding stronger will ensure our long-term resilience.”

During his visit, the governor also met with small business owners, visited the site of a trailer installment that will provide temporary shelter to an Old Fort family, and toured Old Fort to assess recovery needs and efforts.

Readers can access Governor Josh Stein’s first six executive orders below:

Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-1-increasing-temporary-housing-supply-western-nc
Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-2-repairing-roads-and-bridges
Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-3-reorganizing-executive-branch-meet-needs-western-nc
Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-4-establishing-advisory-committee-western-nc-recovery
Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-5-oshr-exceptions-helene-relief
Governor.NC.gov/executive-order-no-6-regulation-waiver-propane-drivers

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