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State lawmakers convened Wednesday to assess North Carolina’s recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, as concerns mount over funding shortfalls, housing delays, and the slow pace of aid distribution in Western North Carolina.
It is unclear why the NC House did not archive their live stream to re-watch later. (They typically don’t.) I used Zoom to record the meeting and sometimes the internet doesn’t always cooperate in the woods near Lake Lure (even with Starlink). If you encounter any choppiness, my apologies. (Fund better internet in WNC, lawmakers!) You may also listen to a full audio version on Otter.ai by clicking here.
A legislative oversight committee heard from Gov. Josh Stein’s administration on rebuilding efforts, with House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) pledging new legislation and state funding early in the session.
“What they're doing is studying — we don't want to overlap with what the federal government's doing,” Hall said. “We want to make sure we're being efficient and not spending things on the same thing the feds are going to do. So where we need to get money quickly, we're going to do that.”
Governor Josh Stein said earlier this month that he has hired six people who will play a key role in western North Carolina recovery efforts, including leaders of the newly established Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) and the new Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) within the Department of Commerce.
“Supporting western North Carolina is going to be an all-hands-on-deck initiative that requires a team with diverse experiences and skillsets,” said Stein. “I am grateful to each of these leaders for prioritizing urgency, focus, transparency, and accountability as we work to rebuild the region.”
Federal Aid Falls Short
Recovery officials estimate that Hurricane Helene caused $60 billion in damages, but federal relief has fallen well below expectations. North Carolina had requested $26 billion in federal assistance last December but expects to receive only $15.7 billion under current allocations.
“We did not receive near enough money to support the needs in western North Carolina,” said Jonathan Krebs, Western North Carolina Recovery Advisor. “We will be working with many of you as we go into March on our next request for funding at the federal level, but until then, we have to manage scarce resources and set expectations and priorities.”
It was revealed that 105 people died from Hurricane Helene, marking the first time officials publicly said the updated total. They previously said 104, including Lisa Brady, a Chimney Rock resident who was found in Lake Lure, according to her death certificate.
Rep. Dudley Greene started the meeting by saying that "many are still missing,” but did not give a number. Officials in Rutherford County said in October that more than 1,100 people were found safe. Each jurisdiction tracks missing people separately across the state, leaving the total number of missing people unclear today. I emailed Rep. Greene for more information and will update this story if he responds.
Of the $1.6 billion in HUD recovery funds, $1.4 billion will be managed locally. However, delays in HUD approvals threaten to push permanent housing reconstruction into late 2025.
“If we are going to build this summer and make the best of 2025, we’re going to have to come up with some creative solutions to do permanent housing now,” Krebs said.
Housing, Infrastructure, and Wildfire Risks
Among the most urgent recovery needs is restoring washed-out private roads and bridges, which emergency responders say are critical for fire and ambulance access. Meanwhile, FEMA-funded temporary housing remains underutilized, with nonprofits struggling to find displaced residents willing to take travel trailers.
“They can't find people that want them and have a need,” Krebs said. “The good news … is that that's largely driven by the fact that they are in safe, decent housing in some other form or fashion.”
Lawmakers also raised alarms over wildfire risks posed by storm debris. As the hearing took place, residents in McDowell County were evacuating due to a wildfire near Old Fort just north of Lake Lure, highlighting the need for immediate debris removal.
Education and Economic Recovery
The storm’s long-term effects continue to strain communities, with homeless student numbers surging from 375 to 1,300 and school districts facing $45,000 in unbudgeted monthly costs. Economic revitalization and tourism recovery efforts were also key discussion points, as lawmakers noted the importance of North Carolina’s state parks and camps.
The meeting reviewed funding from the American Relief Act of 2025, which allocated:
$28 billion for FEMA
$12 billion for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds
$32.5 billion for USDA programs
However, lawmakers questioned the lack of clarity on revolving fund guidance from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Additionally, they expressed frustration that North Carolina’s most-visited national parks in Transylvania, Swain, Jackson, and Haywood counties remain underfunded despite 13 million visitors in 2022.
Next Steps and Federal Engagement
Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood) urged the Stein administration to provide a clear funding request.
“Tell us how much money you need so that we can move forward and start putting these people back together,” Pless said. “I know it doesn't happen overnight, and I know it doesn't happen as quickly as it was destroyed, but so far we haven't moved the needle.”
Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene today in another committee to discuss additional funding and lingering needs from past hurricanes. Officials are also considering on-site tours of affected areas to assess ongoing recovery efforts firsthand.
Transparency and Accountability
Throughout the hearing, lawmakers and state officials stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, and coordination in disaster response. GROW NC, the new initiative to streamline recovery efforts, and the Governor’s Recovery Office will be key players in managing long-term rebuilding.
With federal assistance in limbo due to a funding freeze, state leaders are weighing emergency allocations to accelerate infrastructure repairs, housing projects, and economic stabilization in hard-hit communities.
Opinion & Analysis
Cops & Congress Commentary: Why Won’t Officials Give Us the Full Truth on the Missing?
The death toll from Hurricane Helene’s devastation in NC has quietly risen in a PowerPoint presentation—mentioned almost in passing as if each life lost were just another statistic. But what about the missing? Instead of hard numbers, a state representative simply said "many," leaving families in limbo and communities desperate for clarity.
This isn't just a bureaucratic oversight—it’s a failure of transparency. When disaster strikes, government officials must communicate openly and honestly with the people they serve. That means providing real-time updates, not vague reassurances. If they know how many have died, then they would hopefully have an estimate of how many are still unaccounted for. Why won’t they say it?
People in Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and across Western North Carolina need answers, not just about the missing but about when real help will arrive. Emergency response efforts have been bogged down by bureaucracy, and even as lawmakers discuss funding, residents are left struggling with impassable roads, wrecked homes, and unanswered calls for assistance.
House Speaker Destin Hall says state lawmakers don’t want to “overlap” with federal efforts. But here’s the reality: The federal response is slow, and waiting to see what Washington does first means more suffering in the meantime. Gov. Josh Stein’s team admits there isn’t enough money allocated to meet recovery needs, but what’s being done right now to fix that? And why isn’t there a plan for helping those whose private roads and bridges were washed away, cutting them off from emergency services?
Meanwhile, the number of homeless students in Western NC has surged, and the costs are adding up—$45,000 a month in unbudgeted expenses in Buncombe County. Local officials know these needs are urgent, but too often, decisions made in Raleigh and D.C. leave rural communities at the bottom of the priority list.
So when will help arrive? When will families be able to stop wondering if their missing loved ones are lost forever? And when will officials stop hiding behind carefully crafted statements and give us real answers?
As a conservative public safety journalist I am committed to the truth and the facts. I will never regurgitate press releases. I will consider them in my reporting. Many have helped since the storm, but there is a very long road ahead. Here are three things I’m watching in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
First, I’m watching how officials communicate critical information. Transparency is key in disaster recovery, yet vague statements and missing details create confusion instead of clarity.
Second, I’m following the speed and effectiveness of aid distribution. Recovery isn’t just about funding—it’s about how quickly and efficiently resources reach the people who need them most.
Third, I’m tracking government accountability. From local leaders to federal agencies, those in charge must be held responsible for delays, mismanagement, or failures that leave communities struggling.
The people of WNC deserve better. We deserve accountability and the truth.
Thank you for reading and watching. Learn more about this newsletter and my background. I am guided by the Society for Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Follow me on X (Twitter), Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Send constructive criticism, fan mail and tips with public documents for future stories: CopsandCongress@gmail.com.
