In late August, Renew NC completed storm-related repairs at Matalene Waters’ longtime home in Fletcher, North Carolina. Waters, 74, born and raised in Asheville, was the first applicant approved for disaster relief assistance through the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program.
“It feels real good to be back home,” said Waters. “When Helene came, the flood came down the street, and in the backyard, and it came all the way up to the light sockets, so it flooded all of my furniture and appliances.”
Waters’ daughter, April Stewart, said large portions of drywall, sheetrock, and vinyl siding sustained wind and water damage from the storm and needed to be replaced. Floodwater ruined flooring throughout the home and cabinetry in several rooms.
In the wake of the storm, Stewart noticed Helene had taken a toll on her mother, as well. After hearing about Renew NC from friends and family, Stewart made the decision to help her mother apply for the state’s disaster relief program.
The Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program provides assistance to repair or rebuild homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. Homeowners in 28 counties and 1 zip code in western NC are eligible to apply by visiting RenewNC.org, calling (888) 791-0207, or visiting an in-person location.
As of early September, more than 2,500 applications had been submitted to the Single-Family Housing Program, and more than half of those were already under review.
“I’m glad I was able to step in,” Waters said. “To get her back into her home, that was the plan. It wasn’t about relocating, uprooting her. This is where her roots are. This is where my children’s memories are. To get her back into her home, that was the priority.”
Crews installed new doors and windows, repaired parts of the ceiling that suffered water damage, and replaced vinyl siding, baseboards, and light fixtures. Waters said she's grateful for her daughter’s help and relieved to have her house start to feel like home again.
“I’m just happy to be back home,” said Waters.
Renew NC is funded by a federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
North Carolina is the first state affected by Hurricane Helene to start its home renovation and reconstruction program. In fact, North Carolina is the fastest state in more than a decade – since Hurricane Sandy – to begin rebuilding homes after a major hurricane using HUD CDBG-DR funding.
Visit our WNC Recovery Stories page to find more stories about the people and organizations making a difference in western North Carolina.