Renew NC has completed repairs on the first home under its Single-Family Housing Program (SFHP), part of North Carolina’s ongoing disaster recovery efforts. The program is funded by a federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
North Carolina is the first state affected by Hurricane Helene to begin its home renovation and reconstruction program, and it is also the fastest state in over ten years to start rebuilding homes with HUD CDBG-DR funding after a major hurricane.
“Rebuilding safe and sustainable housing is crucial to helping western North Carolina get back on its feet,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Completing our first home is an important milestone in the Hurricane Helene recovery process. I applaud my team for moving at record speed. Let’s keep swinging hammers and getting more families back home.”
The SFHP, managed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization, has received more than 1,900 applications for assistance to repair or rebuild homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. A public dashboard tracking application progress is available at RenewNC.org, updated daily with information such as total applications received and their status by county.
The program targets long-term recovery needs for homeowners in western North Carolina, prioritizing low- to moderate-income families in areas most affected by Hurricane Helene. The initiative uses $807 million from federal funds and covers 29 counties as well as ZIP code 28214 in Mecklenburg County.
“We know that housing is the key to rebuilding communities impacted by Helene,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “We are committed to getting our neighbors back home as quickly and safely as we can, and Renew NC is essential to that effort.”
Matalene Waters was the first applicant approved for assistance through SFHP. She described how flooding from Hurricane Helene damaged her home: “When Helene came, the flood came down the street and into the backyard, and it came all the way up to the [outdoor] light sockets. It flooded all of my furniture and appliances, so we had to destroy all of that. You don’t realize how much it affects your mind. You’re thinking you’re okay, but you’re not.” Her daughter April Stewart helped her apply for assistance after learning about Renew NC through various sources: “My mom is my hero. To get her back into her home, that was the plan. It wasn’t about relocating, uprooting her. This is where her roots are. This is where my children’s memories are. To get her back into her home, that was the priority.”
“With the construction phase of our Single-Family Housing Program underway, we’re looking forward to helping restore housing stability across the region,” said Division of Community Revitalization Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah. “We can’t understate the importance of this work.”
Local residents have been hired at call centers, mobile pop-up sites, and canvassing teams to help identify eligible homeowners who have not yet applied for assistance. This outreach increased applications from 1,000 on August 12 to over 1,900 by August 27.
Homeowners interested in applying can visit RenewNC.org or contact staff at (888) 791-0207 or through in-person locations; an app is also available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Of $1.4 billion allocated for disaster recovery needs in western North Carolina through CDBG-DR funding, $807 million supports SFHP specifically.
Later this year, Renew NC plans to launch additional programs including Multi-Family Housing options for both small and large rental projects as well as Workforce Housing for Ownership aimed at affordable opportunities for workers across income levels. Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization initiatives will also be introduced soon.
More details about program administration are available at CommerceRecovery.nc.gov.
