State Announces Housing Programs for Helene Recovery, Aims to Retain Workforce

State officials unveiled a recovery oriented housing initiative on December 8 that will launch program application rounds in 2026 to support multifamily and workforce housing production in areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene. The plan includes an open application round designed to incentivize developers to build ownership units affordable to households at roughly 80 percent area median income, along with separate funding tracks for multifamily rental housing.

Local governments, nonprofits and private developers will be eligible to apply for the programs, officials said, while available funding levels and final program rules will be finalized and posted in 2026. The timing and structure make these programs a central component of the state recovery strategy, which seeks to replace storm damaged units and expand overall housing stock so that employers can retain workers displaced or affected by the storm.

For Buncombe County the proposed programs carry immediate practical consequences. Employers that lost housing for staff or that face rental shortages may see relief if projects funded through the state move quickly through permitting and construction. The emphasis on ownership units at about 80 percent area median income is likely to appeal to households earning modest wages, but it may require local adjustments in zoning, land use approvals and infrastructure planning to site new developments near job centers and transit.

Institutionally the programs will test the capacity of county planning departments and local nonprofit developers to prepare competitive applications, to meet state compliance requirements and to coordinate with utility and transportation agencies on build out. Local officials will need to determine whether to offer matching funds, expedite permitting or change development regulations to qualify projects and deliver units on a useful timeline.

Politically the programs will shape local debate about housing, land use and municipal priorities. Housing policy is often a salient issue in local elections and public hearings. Residents should monitor state postings and county notices for application details, attend upcoming hearings and contact Buncombe County planning staff to learn how recovery resources can be used locally. Timely civic engagement will determine how well the recovery era housing programs translate into concrete units for workers and families in the county.