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NC Gov. Stein pledges continued Hurricane Helene recovery support in 100-day address
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein marked his 100th day in office on Thursday with a visit to Asheville.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein marked his 100th day in office on Thursday with a visit to Asheville, where he addressed local government officials about ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
Speaking to an audience of county commissioners, mayors, city councilors, and local government staff, Stein acknowledged the six-month anniversary of the devastating storm that caused an estimated $60 billion in damages across western North Carolina.
“You’ve been doing it for over six months now,” Stein told local officials. “I know it’s exhausting, and I know that when you raised your hand to serve your community, you had no idea what you were signing up for.”
The governor highlighted several recovery milestones and praised the March passage of a bipartisan $524 million aid package for western North Carolina.
But, he emphasized, additional funding is needed. “That bill is nowhere near enough, but it is enough to get started,” he said, announcing plans to send a second Helene budget proposal to the General Assembly focused on housing needs, small business support, local government revenue replacement, and wildfire prevention.
The governor also addressed federal assistance, noting that North Carolina was the first Helene-impacted state to submit its action plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which would release $1.6 billion in previously allocated funds.
“We want to expand the housing construction that we intend to start this summer with the state money,” Stein said, adding that the goal is to begin home reconstruction by late summer—a timeline he described as unprecedented for post-hurricane recovery.
During his address, Stein shared his recent visits with families who lost loved ones in the storm, including members of the Craig family, who lost 11 relatives including Battalion Chief Tony Garrison. The governor highlighted how Garrison’s son Dylan is training to become a firefighter himself to honor his father’s legacy.
Stein also expressed concern about recent wildfire threats in several western counties and stressed the need for preventative measures alongside ongoing recovery work.
“Above all, we need to know and understand what it means to truly rebuild,” Stein said. “We have to have a holistic understanding of what it takes for communities to thrive.”