In North Carolina, 153,000 Families Receiving FEMA Help

HICKORY, N.C. – In 39 counties, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, more than 153,000 households are being helped by FEMA assistance as they recover from Tropical Storm Helene.

Four months after the catastrophic storm, individuals and families have received rental assistance, money for basic repairs to their homes, sheltering in hotels, temporary housing in FEMA-provided mobile homes and travel trailers, funds for replacement of essential personal property, money for serious needs, and other assistance.

Here are some ways that FEMA is working with the state of North Carolina and local communities to provide support:

• 2,596 households are currently staying in FEMA-paid hotels; 10,648 have checked out.
• 3,284 households have received rental assistance.
• 150 households are currently living in FEMA-provided temporary housing units.
• 18,000 households have received money to make basic repairs to a damaged primary home.
• 5,000 households have received funds to repair private roads and bridges.
• 106,000 FEMA inspections have been issued to assess damage to primary residences.
• 138,000 homes have been visited by FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews.
• 66,000 people have visited a Disaster Recovery Center.
• 1,800 households have been provided three years of flood insurance, paid for by FEMA.

FEMA is only one part of federal disaster recovery support for North Carolina. The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $123 million in claims resulting from Helene. The U.S. Small Business Administration has made $108.6 million in low-interest disaster loans to North Carolinians. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with the state and communities on debris removal. To date, 4 million cubic yards of debris has been removed from public rights of way, 2.8 million by state contractors and 1.2 million by federal contractors, and waterway debris removal is in full execution by the Corps of Engineers.