Nearly half of the 10,129 displaced households in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene have been placed in temporary shelters such as hotels, apartments, and mobile homes, with the remaining households finding long-term housing. While the temporary housing program was scheduled to end on Dec. 12, FEMA officials stated that they would not force people from their temporary quarters and would work urgently to find them permanent shelter.
FEMA has spent $262 million on individual rental assistance and home repairs for Helene survivors in North Carolina, with an additional $274 million going towards infrastructure repairs and debris removal. However, more financial aid is needed to fully restore areas like Asheville, Biltmore Village, and surrounding areas.
Local officials have requested $25 billion from President Joe Biden and Congress to repair homes, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure in western North Carolina, citing the abnormal nature of Hurricane Helene and the extensive damage caused by landslides, flooding, wind, and debris. Private road and bridge repairs are particularly costly, and there is no specific federal program in place to address this issue. The North Carolina officials are hoping for broad interpretations of rules to secure the necessary funding for a full recovery.
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