ASHEVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — On his second day in office, newly minted North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced additional help for Hurricane Helene victims.
Stein signed five executive orders. While they do not contain any big promise of multimillion or multibillion aid packages, Stein said they will help speed up the recovery in western N.C.
“I pledge to do everything in my power to as Governor to accelerate recovery and rebuilding of a more resilient region for the long haul,” he said during a Thursday press conference in Asheville.
Stein is waving some state regulations to expand the supply of temporary and mobile housing and increase the speed of rebuilding private roads and bridges that were destroyed. The governor also ordered the creation of a new office within his administration, GrowNC. It will focus solely on the recovery effort in the hard-hit western part of the state.
Stein estimates some 10,000 were displaced by Helene. He said state officials should now have interview as a many of the 10,000 as possible.
The Department of Commerce will establish a new division focused on housing needs and state employees will be given 16 additional hours off work to use for volunteering in storm-impacted areas.
Ben Williamson, owner of Pisgah Fitness, near the French Broad River in Asheville, agreed housing assistance and the rebuilding of private infrastructure is essential. But he also stressed that help is still needed for small business.
He has reopened, but says he’s still down 30 percent in revenue.
“Having lost our busy season and moving into you know a slower time in the winter,” Williamson said. “So when I talk to business owners, what they’re really asking for are grants. What they’re really asking for is money that doesn’t have to be repaid.”
For Stein’s credit, he agreed Grants may be the better solution for those already carrying debt. The question now is when additional grant money would come.
