HUD approves $1.4B grant to rebuild homes in western North Carolina

Gov. Josh Stein recently announced that the federal government has approved a $1.4 billion grant to help western North Carolina rebuild following Helene.

The approval is the next step in the state receiving federal relief following Hurricane Helene. According to Gov. Stein's office, the grant focuses on long-term rebuilding and not immediate shelter needs.

The money is considered to be a last resort after other options, such as private insurance, have been used.

The Helene Action Plan has most of the funds going toward housing recovery for low and moderate-income residents. The rest would be for infrastructure rebuilding and economic development.

The governor created the Division of Community Revitalization to administer the plan for western North Carolina. The approval comes as Stein appeals the Federal Emergency Management Agency's denial of a full match extension for disaster recovery costs.