Deep Waters: Reimagining Resilience After Hurricane Helene

Learning Along With ncIMPACT Collaborative Teams and Partners in Western North Carolina

The week of January 27, 2025, the ncIMPACT Initiative team (ncIMPACT) traveled to western North Carolina (WNC) to meet with our extraordinary partners, whose tireless dedication and deep connection to their communities continue to inspire us daily. These remarkable individuals bring unmatched local knowledge and unwavering commitment to serving their neighbors, especially in times of crisis. Our visit aimed to understand how our partners and their vital work had been affected by Hurricane Helene, which hit the region hard in late September 2024. We knew that entire communities in the western part of the state were destroyed, and more than 100 people lost their lives. We knew also that 39 counties were declared federal disaster areas, and many communities will take decades to recover. What we did not expect was to learn that the region seeks to reimagine resiliency by focusing on the dots among recovery needs.

Resiliency is often defined as the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties. Given the different impacts across the region, even within single counties, we expected to hear significantly varying perspectives on resiliency priorities and the impacts of rebuilding. After all, some communities were literally washed away while neighboring communities were relatively untouched. There were devastating differences in impacts even within the same communities in a county. Instead of disharmony, however, we heard a chorus of voices seeking to be laser focused on the overlaps among challenges.

Leaders from Haywood County met the ncIMPACT team at Waynesville’s Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center, which became a Helene Recovery donation hub. Pictured here, our group got to work assembling new shelving to help the Center balance recovery with existing programming. Thank you to program founder Ms. Forney and Caroline Williamson from the “Our State, Our Work” Achieve HIGHTS team for sharing their stories of strength and resilience during this difficult time.

 

This learning tour served as just one opportunity to witness the creativity and determination of western North Carolina. Since launching in 2017, ncIMPACT has worked with cross-sector teams in 30 of the 39 Helene-impacted federal disaster counties on issues as varied as opioid misuse, educational attainment, opportunity youth, mental health and suicide prevention, and housing. Click here for an interactive map of the counties and programs shown below.

ncIMPACT and Carolina Across 100 in Western North Carolina

 

 

We have also been honored to partner with the three of the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) (Southwestern Commission, Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments, and High Country Regional Council of Governments) in the region on additional programming on Local Government Recruitment & Retention Patterns and Strategies in NC, Purchasing & Contracting, and Economic Development Incentives. One partnership, with the North Carolina Pandemic Recovery Office and COGs, sought to identify priority challenges in the region as it recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders. Below is a map of the three western COGs where we held focus groups last spring to hear top concerns for recovery from COVID-19. Here were the top concerns by region:

• Southwestern Commission: Housing for families and older adults, food security for older adults
• Land of Sky: Housing for families and older adults, food security for older adults
• High Country: Housing for older adults and families, food security for older adults

COG Communities Visited by ncIMPACT and Carolina Across 100

 

The Priorities for Building Resilience After Helene

Below are the similarities and differences between those Covid-19 recovery challenges and the top concerns for recovery outlined post-Helene. Housing remained the number one issue. Childcare rose on the list, and while food security was acknowledged as a crisis in the immediate aftermath of the storm, it was not listed as a priority for recovery from Helene. For business-specific concerns, support for small businesses replaced workforce development as the number one priority. The need for volunteers and capacity to communicate were also top concerns. Interestingly, regional leaders again emphasized the interconnectedness of the priority concerns. They were more explicit this time about the need for effective local leadership and capacities.

Housing

Perhaps not surprisingly, the chronic problems identified in early 2024 are now crisis challenges in 2025. Housing that is affordable for most residents was the number one concern we heard during our learning visit. The Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) confirms this concern with its estimate that approximately 73,700 homes will be found damaged when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finishes its assessment. Housing assistance and recovery are expected to cost $15.4 billion, and most residents did not have flood insurance.

More than 40% of households in the disaster-declared counties earn less than 80% of the area median income (AMI), according to the OSBM. Of these low-income households, over half were cost-burdened before the disaster, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.  The region’s seasonal and vacant housing shares are greater than the state averages, constricting the existing housing supply and limiting options for rehousing displaced individuals and families. Moreover, the unique geographic features of western North Carolina, such as protected lands and steep slopes, limit available land for new housing development. Across all income levels, the disaster further strained an already unaffordable housing market.

“Housing is the hardest and the most important issue. We have a housing squeeze at just about every income level, and we can’t disconnect housing from childcare. We have a multi-income problem, and it is having adverse effects on our economic development.”

Childcare

Childcare was the second most frequently raised challenge during our learning visit. This is a statewide issue that Helene exacerbated in WNC. In May 2023, the N.C. Chamber Foundation published a survey that found more than a quarter of parents of children 5 years old and younger had left the workforce because they couldn’t find affordable childcare.

“We jokingly say we wish we could get back to the level of bad we knew in childcare and housing before Helene.”

The childcare industry was hit hard by the pandemic. Data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services indicate that the number of licensed childcare sites in the state has declined by 7.7 percent since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many remaining centers kept their doors open by relying on federal stabilization grants to pay workers higher salaries. The voices we heard in our learning sessions pointed to a dire situation before Helene that had become a crisis. Transylvania County, for example, had capacity in its centers for just 12 percent of infants and toddlers with working parents, according to a 2022 study by the Child Care Services Association advocacy group.

Small Business Recovery

Supporting small business recovery ranked highly in the learning sessions. Some small businesses were washed away. Others remain in place but are dealing with significant revenue losses. Many of those businesses are still repaying U.S. Small Business Administration loans from COVID-19.

The region is particularly concerned about the impacts on businesses dependent on the outdoor economy, recreation, and tourism. Hurricane Helene interrupted the typically busy fall season and physically damaged many outdoor assets that draw visitors to the region. Businesses are now enduring especially lean months while also figuring out how to rebuild for the future. Their challenges are likely to impact workers in related industry sectors.

“I would say that just from a workforce thing, many of our businesses can hire employees, but some employees in our region have to travel an hour to South Carolina to find housing and childcare. Mixed-used housing that included units affordable to these employees and their families and on-site daycare could make a big difference to small business recovery.”

Leaders from the High Country Council of Governments region shared challenges with ncIMPACT around housing and mental health access following Hurricane Helene. Our discussion included Watauga leaders from Carolina Across 100’s “Our State, Our Homes” and “Our State, Our Wellbeing” programs. Thank you to members of the Western Youth Network and local government leaders for sharing your stories – and for your dedication to supporting Helene Recovery.

Volunteers and Nonprofits

Volunteers and nonprofits were essential to the immediate relief efforts. On each day of our learning visit, our team heard that the most repeated refrain from volunteers after Helene was, “Let’s help my neighbor; they need it more than I do.” Despite struggling with their own personal tribulations, volunteers and nonprofit staff provided physical and emotional support and were also the brokers of important information about immediate resources such as local distribution centers where people could secure food. When normal lines of communication, such as telephones, televisions, and the internet, were down, these heroes were the only contact points for many, especially elderly residents. As one nonprofit shared, “We were able to immediately pivot 100 percent to relief efforts.”

Each learning session emphasized the need to capitalize on existing social bonds and institutionalize community cohesion to support longer-term rebuilding. Participants pointed out that volunteers and nonprofit staff were trusted brokers needed as a practical defense against distrust and disinformation about recovery efforts. The close-knit community ties of western North Carolina communities benefited local relief, and it has also led to some hesitation in accepting or trusting “outside” support in the months since the storm. Volunteers are critical to helping residents understand and have confidence in federal and state-funded programs needed to recover from Helene.

Communities will need the capacity and creativity of volunteers and nonprofits for a long time to come. A challenge going forward will be finding ways to make the interactions between these groups and local government more reciprocal and less transactional. Reciprocity is built on shared trust – an ingredient some learning session participants saw as dwindling between the groups.

“Word of mouth was all we had, and it worked. There should be some way to capture the sense of ‘can do’ we had after Helene.”

On the final leg of our WNC Listening Tour, the ncIMPACT team visited a West Jefferson arcade now serving as a community hub for Helene Recovery supplies. Pictured here, our team pitched in to sort clothing before distribution to the community. The UNC School of Government donated items to this location.

Capacity to Effectively Communicate

Local leaders were lauded for heroic efforts to support communities even as their own homes and businesses suffered. Many noted how difficult it is to lead communities through a crisis, but some questioned the capacity of a few leaders during the generational catastrophe caused by Helene. They raised concerns about the capacity of those local officials to communicate effectively during the crisis. Sometimes the communication challenges were attributed to a lack of understanding of programs. For example, there was confusion about the legal limits on various relief programs. Other times, the challenges stemmed from not fully understanding the scope of their authority. In a few instances, learning visit participants questioned the capacity of local officials to keep dialogue constructive in the aftermath of Helene.

Finally, questions about capacity were not limited to elected leaders. Some hard-hit communities have very limited financial resources, communication channels, and professional management. For these communities, it is especially important for there to be a clear understanding before a crisis about respective roles and responsibilities.

“Some leaders don’t have the needed temperament to work with others.”

Other concerns included the need to focus on better understanding:

• mapping future needs for the health workforce
• redundancy needs in communications, commerce, transportation routes, water and wastewater systems
• housing targeted to seniors
• K-20 learning recovery best practices
• substance misuse and mental health supports
• support for at-risk youth and marginalized youth

These additional concerns were not necessarily less important but were raised less often as critical to recovery.

When discussing the deepening concerns for marginalized youth following the storm, one participant said, “Here’s a bright red flashing neon sign… Our marginalized youth were already at risk.”

The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene revealed both the vulnerabilities and the remarkable strength of western North Carolina’s communities. Despite challenges, the spirit of western North Carolina shines through in the dedication of its volunteers, the determination of its local leaders, and the unwavering resilience of its people. Their commitment to reimagining a more resilient future that serves all residents demonstrates why this region and its people are so vital to North Carolina’s fabric. The lessons they are teaching us about community, perseverance, and innovative problem-solving in the face of catastrophe will be invaluable not just for their own recovery but for communities across the state and nation facing similar challenges.

As the region works to rebuild, the interconnected challenges of housing affordability, childcare access, and small business recovery have emerged as central priorities that must be addressed holistically. Those challenges will not be adequately addressed without building the capacity of local communities through volunteers, nonprofits, and local government. We will continue to watch for new lessons as the region reimagines resilience.

 

Thank you to all those we heard from, including leaders from the following sectors:

• Local Government (Elected and Appointed)
• Councils of Government
• Economic Developers
• Chambers of Commerce
• Regional Universities/Community Colleges
• Local Nonprofits
• Funders
• Business Leaders
• Consultants
• Lead for NC Fellows

Look in the coming months for more takeaways from our learning visit as ncIMPACT continues to work with communities to help western North Carolina rebuild.

*Thanks to the ncIMPACT Team, Professor Kim Nelson, and Sonja Matanovic for contributions to this blog.