In an effort to provide additional relief to homeowners in western North Carolina, the Renew NC, the state’s housing recovery initiative, has extended the deadline for applications to its Single-Family Housing Program (SFHP) until January 31. This gives homeowners an additional month to apply for aid in repairing, rebuilding, or replacing homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina was notably the fastest among affected states to implement its federally funded housing recovery program.
Governor Josh Stein emphasized the importance of extending the deadline, stating, “It has been a very challenging year for our neighbors in western North Carolina, and we want to give folks every opportunity to apply for housing support.” His aim is to reduce stress during the holiday season and afford homeowners more time to submit their applications.
Since its launch in June, the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program has received over 6,500 applications, with repair and reconstruction efforts commencing in the fall. Completed projects can be found in Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell, and Polk counties, while many others are underway.
N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley responded to community requests for more time, saying, “Many western NC communities have requested this extension, and we heard you.” This extension allows homeowners additional time to gather necessary information for their applications.
Administered by the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization (DCR), Renew NC is advancing construction projects in several counties, including Buncombe, Cleveland, Gaston, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Watauga, and Wilkes.
The program gives priority to low- to moderate-income families, particularly those with seniors aged 62 and above, children under 18, or disabled members. It covers homeowners across 28 counties and one ZIP code: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg (28214), Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
Even those who have previously received assistance related to Helene from FEMA or insurance can apply to the Single-Family Housing Program. This initiative aims to address outstanding housing recovery needs once other aid options are exhausted.
Renew NC offers in-person support in English and Spanish at intake centers located in Asheville, Boone, and Marion, open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additional locations are available throughout western North Carolina with varied operating hours.
For more details on the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program, interested homeowners can visit RenewNC.org, call (888) 791-0207, or visit an in-person location. The Renew NC app is also accessible on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
After the application period closes, Renew NC will concentrate on evaluating submissions, assessing budget requirements, and expediting the review and construction processes for eligible applicants.
Renew NC’s programs are backed by a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with $807 million of the allocated $1.4 billion directed to the Single-Family Housing Program.
Additional insights into the administration of Renew NC initiatives are available on the Division of Community Revitalization’s site at CommerceRecovery.nc.gov.
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