Gov. Stein proposes $1B budget for Helene recovery, rebuilding

MILLS RIVER, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is pushing for $1 billion to rebuild homes and infrastructure destroyed by Helene.

Stein said at a Monday news conference in Mills River that his proposal includes funding “to strengthen the economy, get people back into homes faster, repair infrastructure, support farmers, fix private roads and bridges, remove debris, and help school children stay at grade level.”

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The bill would even help pay for $2 million in tuition for students studying in the North Carolina mountains.

The governor also wants to allocate funds to businesses that missed out on an important tourist season.

‘If we do not act, some businesses won’t be here in the summer and we will miss an entire building season before the winter weather comes again in 2025,” Stein said. “We cannot miss an entire year of construction.”

The governor’s budget request includes funding in the following categories.

Strengthening the Economy

$150 million across two grant programs for businesses that suffered physical damage or significant economic loss.
$30 million for grants to small towns and counties to rebuild downtowns and other business districts.
$15 million to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina’s VisitNC division to support North Carolina’s tourism industry and to attract travelers and new businesses to the area.
$100 million for revenue replacement grants to support local governments whose resources were exhausted by immediate disaster response, as they work to keep water and sewer services going, pay law enforcement, and support school operations

Providing Safe and Warm Places to Live

$150 million for a Helene Home Construction and Repair Program to immediately start rebuilding the estimated 5,100 homes that will need to be rebuilt post-Helene.
$25 million to support people struggling to afford rent, mortgage, or utility costs because their home or livelihood was affected.
$10 million for Back@Home, a program that supports people who are without homes and provides them with case management support.
$50 million in incentives for affordable housing construction.
$25 million to fill in gaps for home repairs that are not covered by FEMA.

Repairing Infrastructure

$75 million to repair private roads and bridges.
$25 million to clean up local parks and greenways in affected areas
$12 million for debris removal
$10 million to provide backup power for emergency operations and other critical infrastructure.
$4 million to repair septic systems

Supporting Farmers

$15 million for grants to farmers for verified uninsured losses to crops, livestock, aquaculture, and infrastructure.
$100 million to help farmers clear debris and repair their land and waterways so they can resume production and protect against future flooding
$19.4 million to prepare for the wildfire season and mitigate future risk

Caring For Families and Children

$34.2 million for school districts that missed 15 or more days of school to provide summer instruction and other support services to ensure students continue to perform at grade level on End-of-grade and End-of-course assessments.
$20 million to fund food banks in affected areas.
$2 million to help college students who are struggling to pay tuition, fees, or emergency expenses that might force them to drop out of school at UNC Asheville, Appalachian State University, and Western Carolina University.

VIDEO: Trump travels to western North Carolina as Helene recovery efforts continue