RALEIGH – North Carolina is administering $1.4 billion in federal recovery funds for western counties, but only about 15% of active Renew NC housing projects were complete or under construction as of Sept. 25.
The figures show a recovery split between large public commitments and a slower housing pipeline. The N.C. Department of Commerce reported 159 completed homes, 167 homes under construction and 637 in preconstruction. WRAL Investigates, citing Renew NC data updated later that day, reported 2,211 active applications, including 159 completed homes and 170 under construction.
Commerce grouped 804 projects in construction or preconstruction. WRAL’s corresponding split was 170 under construction and 634 in preconstruction, the same combined total. The broadcaster also reported that the state’s current federal funding is not enough to meet the full single-family and multifamily housing need across western North Carolina.
The housing backlog carries a direct business consequence. Stable housing affects whether workers can remain in the region, while the pipeline represents years of demand for builders, suppliers and local governments. The pace of reconstruction therefore shapes both labor availability and how quickly federal recovery money turns into completed local projects.
Commerce said more than 425 workers have received temporary employment, training or support through disaster recovery programs, and more than half have moved into permanent jobs. The agency also reported that 24 employers received $224,600 to retain 357 employees after the storm.
Other indicators point to investment and activity returning even as housing remains unfinished. Commerce said employers announced 4,105 jobs and $3.2 billion in capital investment in Helene-affected counties over the two years following the storm. Those figures are announcements, not a count of jobs already filled or projects already completed.
The agency said 96 small businesses have benefited from $36 million in public-infrastructure grants since that program launched in June 2025, and the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded $3.5 million to Mountain BizWorks’ WNC Strong recovery fund. Mountain visitor spending reached nearly $7.7 billion in 2025 and supported about 46,500 tourism jobs, according to Commerce.
The $1.4 billion figure describes federal recovery funds the state is administering for housing, infrastructure and community development. It does not mean the full amount has already been spent. With most active Renew NC applications still short of construction, the central economic question is how quickly those commitments can move through review, building and completion.