Asheville was the epicenter of Hurricane Helene, which became a tropical storm as it lost some wind speed in the Appalachians.
The storm hit the region Sept. 27, 2024, devastating Buncombe County and many parts of the surrounding counties, including destroying highways, roads, bridges, waterways, and thousands of homes and businesses. More than 8,000 private roads and bridges were damaged and over 12,000 people remain displaced, along with thousands of small businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Stein came to Asheville to discuss the five Executive Orders he signed on his first full day as governor, all of them designed to fast-track aid to those impacted by the hurricane. He then returned to the city on Jan. 7, 2025, accompanied by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Adrianne Todman, to announce a sixth EO designed to ensure fuel accessibility during the winter months and announce federal grants for housing.
Housing, Roads, and Bridges
“Winter is here in western North Carolina, and we must act quickly to get people in temporary housing, repair private roads and bridges, and keep people safe,” said Stein. “I will do everything in my power to make sure we are both thinking creatively and acting swiftly to help our neighbors recover.”
Business Grants Needed
Among the changes he called for in the recovery process was business support through grants rather than loans. He noted that the current Congress just passed a Continuing Resolution that will renew and maintain funding for six months into mid-2025, but at the same levels as last year, despite the increase in need.
He pointed out, “Many small businesses have insurance that can help with some costs, but they’ve already had to take out loans for many costs that aren’t covered. Small business can’t afford to take on more debt, so we need a grant program to help rather than more loans.”
He added, “If businesses fail, there’ll be cascading pain across…
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