Nearly 200 days after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, thousands of households remain without permanent housing, according to the state auditor’s latest recovery dashboard. Only six state-issued temporary housing units are occupied across the affected region, a stark reminder of the slow-moving recovery effort from what officials call the state’s worst natural disaster.
A North Carolina legislative committee approved a proposal Wednesday that would allow families of those missing in natural disasters to obtain a declaration of death without waiting the current seven-year period.
Recovery funds allocated to western North Carolina from the General Assembly now exceed $1.4 billion following Gov. Josh Stein’s signing of a fourth relief bill on Thursday, providing an additional $524 million in response to Hurricane Helene.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring a potential tropical disturbance in the northern Atlantic Ocean, months ahead of the official start of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Enrollment has increased at three state universities in western North Carolina, which were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene last fall. Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina Asheville, and Western Carolina University all reported higher student enrollment compared to last spring, according to the UNC System.
