Buncombe County Seeks Public Input on Proposed Helene Recovery Projects

Buncombe County is seeking public feedback as it moves forward with plans to apply for more than $20 million in grant funding to support long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene.

The funding would come through North Carolina's competitive Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Community Infrastructure Program. County officials have developed three preliminary project proposals that have already been pre-screened by the state.

The proposed projects include:

• Rebuilding and restoring damaged parks, including Owen Park, Alexander Park, and Lake Julian Park.

• Installing permanent backup power systems at critical county facilities to improve emergency preparedness.

• Improving road access to the Ferry Road Affordable Housing site, a project aimed at supporting housing recovery following the loss of approximately 6,500 rental units during Hurricane Helene.

  
  

County officials note that while local governments do not have authority over many traditional infrastructure projects such as state roads, bridges, and utilities, they can pursue funding for other community infrastructure improvements that strengthen long-term resilience.

Residents are encouraged to provide feedback during a public hearing before the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on Monday, Aug. 18, at 5 p.m. Comments may also be submitted by email, phone, or mail through Aug. 28.

Additional information about the proposed projects and Hurricane Helene recovery efforts is available on Buncombe County's Helene Recovery webpage.