Raleigh, NC – The North Carolina General Assembly is advancing the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025, a legislative effort aimed at supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The bill proposes $500 million in relief funding to assist with housing reconstruction, agricultural recovery, infrastructure repairs, and emergency response improvements.
Key Funding Allocations
The proposal includes a $275 million transfer from the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund (SERDRF) to the Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Fund (Helene Fund). If enacted, the funds would be distributed as follows:
- $140 million for home reconstruction and repair through the Department of Commerce’s Community Revitalization Division, following Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) guidelines.
- $75 million for agricultural recovery, including stream debris removal, cropland restoration, and farm road repairs. An additional allocation would support the Hurricane Helene Agricultural Crop Loss Program.
- $100 million for private road and bridge repair, providing financial assistance for damaged infrastructure in affected counties.
- $55 million for the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program, aiding businesses impacted by the storm.
- $20 million for debris removal, focusing on gaps not covered by other state or federal programs. The Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW-NC) and NC Emergency Management (NCEM) would oversee the effort.
- $10 million in grants for Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) to support local disaster relief efforts.
- $10 million for fire station repairs and emergency response improvements, distributed through the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
- $10 million for rental assistance, supplementing existing housing aid programs for displaced residents.
- $5 million to support tourism recovery efforts, funding media campaigns and grants for local tourism offices to attract visitors back to affected areas.
