North Carolina Governor Josh Stein recently paid a visit to a home in Fairview that has been rehabilitated under the Renew NC program, demonstrating the state's commitment to recovery after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene. According to a release from the Governor's Office, the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program has been instrumental in aiding residents to rebuild their lives, with a deadline for application submissions set for December 31. Accompanied by NC Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley, Stein toured the newly-built home of artist Lee Pantas.
"Standing here with Lee in his new home is what this work is all about," Stein told his audience during the visit, as per the Governor's Office. With ambitions to quickly to mend the broken community fabric of Western North Carolina, Renew NC has been praised for its rapid response, facilitating the return of families to their homes post-disaster. The tour emphasized the success of the program while underscoring the urgency of ongoing recovery efforts in the region.
Funded by the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Renew NC marks North Carolina as a front-runner in post-disaster residential reconstruction and renovation efforts. The program focuses on low- to moderate-income (LMI) families in the 29 most heavily impacted counties, using $807 million of federal funding to address their long-term recovery needs.
As the December 31st application deadline approaches, homeowners affected by Hurricane Helene are encouraged to explore their options through Renew NC. Detailed information can be found on the Governor's Office website, or by contacting their hotline. The Renew NC app, available on major app stores, also serves to facilitate the application process for residents needing to securely reestablish their homes. "Our program is the fastest in the country, but we’re committed to going even faster to get communities back together,” Lilley commented on the ongoing efforts.
For a detailed look at the progress of the recovery efforts and to keep track of the home rebuilding milestones, stakeholders and interested parties can visit the Renew NC Single-Family Housing dashboard. Meanwhile, residents in Western North Carolina recover not only their homes but also the collective hope for restoration of their lives and neighborhoods.
