North Carolina Helene Recovery Update
January 13, 2025
Key Messages: FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance is providing hotel rooms to thousands of Western North Carolina survivors displaced by Hurricane Helene. For eligible families, the program will continue through the end of March 2025. The next eligibility review is scheduled for January 17. Transitional Sheltering Assistance is ending only for families who are no longer eligible due to any of the following reasons:
An inspection indicated their home is now habitable.
They declined an inspection.
We have been unable to contact the applicant to update their housing needs, despite multiple attempts.
On January 3, FEMA began notifying families checked into Transitional Sheltering Assistance hotels/motels if they were no longer eligible for the program.
By the Numbers:
$303 million approved to 144,000+ households and individuals beginning their recovery. This includes money to help rent a home or apartment as survivors begin their recovery.
$315 million in Public Assistance funding approved to support community recovery.
As of January 9, the U.S. Small Business Administration is still accepting low-interest loan applications. To date, more than 10,720 loan applications have been received, with 2,762 approved for more than $204 million. Of that, $59.2 million in low-interest disaster loans have been paid directly to North Carolina survivors.
FEMA is providing multiple temporary housing options to meet North Carolinians’ individual needs. More than 4,848 households are using Transitional Sheltering Assistance hotels and motels. Additionally, 104 households have been placed in temporary housing units provided by FEMA Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.
FEMA has contracted with 18 commercial parks to place units and is working with 20 other parks for potential contracting purposes.
FEMA has awarded more than $10.6 million for the repair or replacement of roads and bridges to 4,000+ families.
More than 2.9 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from public rights of way by FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and contractors.
More than $47.9 million in federal unemployment benefits have been provided to 8,000+ survivors. For more information, call the unemployment assistance hotline at 919-629-3857 (for Spanish call 919-276-5698).
Crisis Counseling and Mental Health Resources: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Hope4NC Crisis Counseling Program provides immediate support and crisis counseling services for North Carolinians following Helene. Survivors experiencing stress, emotional fatigue, a mental health crisis, or just needing someone to talk to can call the Hope4NC Helpline 24/7 at 855-587-3463. Services are free and available to anyone in the declared 39 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Disaster Distress Helpline is available anytime to provide support. Survivors and responders feeling overwhelmed can call or text 800-985-5990 to receive free, confidential support in any language.
Read Your FEMA Letter Carefully: If you applied for assistance, you will receive a letter explaining your application status. If you are not currently approved for assistance, you may need to send additional documentation to FEMA. You can easily upload documents to Disasterassistance.gov or submit them at a Disaster Recovery Center.
Meet with a FEMA Mitigation Specialist: FEMA mitigation specialists will help answer questions and give advice on techniques to repair and rebuild safer and stronger. They are available in centers in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey counties
