The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday announced that it will issue $1.7 million in new funding to assist the city of Asheville, North Carolina, with its ongoing recovery efforts stemming from flooding and other damage caused by Hurricane Helene in late September.
“Funding announced today — which will support the reconstruction of damaged homes, businesses, and infrastructure — is the latest response and recovery action by the Biden-Harris administration to provide families, business owners, farmers, and other impacted communities the support and assistance they need following the storm’s devastating impacts across the Southeast and Appalachia — including in North Carolina,” the department said in an announcement.
HUD acting secretary Adrianne Todman said that the department is ready to deploy its resources by coordinating with local leadership.
“Today’s award will provide immediate assistance to the City of Asheville from the devastation of Hurricane Helene,” Todman said. “We look forward to working with leadership in Asheville as they use these funds to address the city’s most urgent needs. It is also important that HUD receives the additional funding the people of Asheville will need for long-term recovery.”
The department has taken an active role in responding to the disaster. It most recently issued temporary waivers for its rehabilitation loan program for those impacted, and it added new grant funding designed to combat post-disaster homelessness.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has also reiterated the relief offered to its borrowers that is customary for presidentially declared major disaster areas.
Other administration officials have noted that the impact of Helene on the Asheville community is likely to be felt for years to come.
“[W]e remain committed to partnering with the city for as long as it takes to help rebuild and recover,” Marion McFadden, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary for community planning and development, said in a statement. “HUD will continue to do everything we can to make sure that everyone has access to safe and stable housing in disaster impacted areas.”
