NCDOT photo
Roadway collapse by the Pigeon River is I-40, about 40 mi. west of Asheville, N.C.
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North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is asking the General Assembly for $1 billion in Hurricane Helene storm recovery money this spring to help the western part of the state address its "immediate needs."
Stein, a newly-elected Democrat, wants the legislature to spend $1.07 billion in a bill to be passed soon, instead of waiting for the state budget bill in the coming fiscal year that begins July 1.
"My administration has prioritized a number of items that simply cannot wait until the General Assembly enacts its budget for the next fiscal year," Stein wrote in a letter to legislative leaders.
"We cannot ask the residents who are suffering today to wait until next fiscal year for relief. Their needs are dire and immediate; the state's response should be immediate," he wrote, adding that he and lawmakers must work together with urgency.
Stein also told lawmakers that he will make more requests later for the overall budget.
His appeal for new funding is almost double the amount North Carolina has allocated thus far to rebuild the mountainous region of the state following the hurricane's rampage in late September.
When he outlined the $1.07 billion request at a food bank in Henderson County on Feb. 3, Stein said it was time for the legislature to "step up" for the people of western North Carolina, reported NC Newsline.
"I appreciate what the General Assembly has done so far, but it's time for us to step up and get them the money they need right now to rebuild," the governor said in a statement. "We can't forget western North Carolina — and I will do everything in my power to ensure that the state shows up for them."
According to the Raleigh News & Observer, as the new legislative session began in January, Republican House Speaker Destin Hall told reporters that a Helene funding bill topped his to-do list, so Stein is making his pitch ahead of that bill being written.
The state had already allocated about $1.1 billion in multiple bills in late 2024, starting with a first wave of $273 million. The second Helene bill was much larger, for $604 million, which was less than then-Gov. Roy Cooper requested.
The third bill set aside another $227 million, but Cooper vetoed the bill because it also stripped powers from the governor and attorney general. Republicans later overturned it.
However at least one western North Carolina Republican, as well as Democrats, criticized the December legislation for not doing enough.
So far, the General Assembly has not designated how the $901 million in state money is to be spent.
Governor Wants Funding for Region's ‘Immediate Needs'
Helene caused approximately $58 billion in total damage across western North Carolina, state officials have estimated.
From the more than $1 billion that Stein is requesting, he wants the following amounts for infrastructure work:
- $150 million for a homebuilding program.
- $100 million to clear debris, repair land and waterways on farms in the region, and fix and restore local parks.
- $75 million to repair private roads and bridges.
The governor's expansive ask to address "immediate needs" comes as North Carolina officials warn that federal aid — particularly for housing — could be delayed for months, possibly into the fall.
That could complicate things for lawmakers, who expect around $15.7 billion in federal money to make up the bulk of relief in the mountains.
North Carolina's initial request to Washington was $25 billion. In January, Stein asked President Donald Trump for $20 billion in additional relief and extended reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell County, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham County, have each said aid for Helene will be a top priority in the coming weeks.
"The General Assembly has already put more than $1 billion toward Hurricane Helene recovery, but there is still more we can do," Berger spokesperson Lauren Horsch told the News & Observer. "The Senate anticipates considering Hurricane Helene-specific legislation in the coming weeks and is reviewing Gov. Stein's proposal."
But many Republican leaders also have repeatedly cited the need for cautious spending on the state level, noted NC Newsline.
Ghosts of Past Storms Still Haunt North Carolina
On top of the funding request for Helene recovery, the state's General Assembly also is facing the need for more than $200 million to complete relief work from prior hurricanes. ReBuild NC, the state homebuilding program which has faced financial troubles for years, is wanting $217 million to complete long-delayed construction work in eastern North Carolina.
Stein's requested line-item of $150 million for a Helene Home Construction and Repair Program signals that his administration will again take on the task assigned to ReBuild NC after Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018 caused extensive damage to the region.
His lieutenants tasked with leading Helene relief efforts have promised a more transparent process and a "leaner" operation on their watch. CEG
