State Auditor Highlights Uneven Spending of Hurricane Helene Recovery Funds

State Auditor Highlights Uneven Spending of Hurricane Helene Recovery Funds

One year after Hurricane Helene, State Auditor Dave Boliek released a graphic showing major disparities in how recovery funds are being spent across North Carolina agencies.

The data reveals how some departments have used a large portion of their allocations, while others have left the bulk of funding untouched. According to the auditor’s office, the Department of Transportation has not spent nearly 50% of its money. By contrast, the Department of Public Safety has just 16 percent of its allocated funds remaining. Other agencies fall in between. Several agencies show even higher balances. 

“As we approach the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene, North Carolina’s whole-of-government approach has made encouraging progress to repair roads and other critical infrastructure,” Governor Josh Stein said in a press release. “I am grateful to our state’s public servants and partners for their work to strengthen and build resilient infrastructure that helps western North Carolinians travel freely throughout the region.”

Recovery by the numbers: 

• 96% of water systems back online 

• 97% state-maintained roads reopened

• 100% of impacted state parks partially or fully reopened, including Mount Mitchell

  
  

Small Business Infrastructure Grants 

Small businesses in western North Carolina rely on local infrastructure, including electricity, stormwater systems, sidewalks, and high-speed broadband. WCAB News was one of the first outlets to report that local governments can apply on a first-come, first-served basis for the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program to reinvigorate critical infrastructure that small businesses need to attract customers and thrive. 

Boliek said the snapshot underscores the uneven pace of recovery spending, even as communities continue to rebuild from the September 2024 storm.