INFRASTRUCTURE

Many Helene repairs did not qualify for FEMA funds, so North Carolina leaders are expected to spend $50 million through 80 grants in western NC. 

Helene housing repair programs in NC will focus on single-family housing, multi-family housing, and workforce housing beginning in early 2026, Gov. Josh Stein says. 

A decade after the Flint water crisis raised alarms about the continuing dangers of lead in tap water, President Joe Biden is setting a 10-year deadline for cities across the nation to replace their lead pipes.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited the state over the weekend, promising continued federal support for recovery efforts, such as providing survivors with $750 in immediate emergency financial assistance. The administration has also committed to covering the full cost of debris removal costs for at least the next six months.

In this op-ed, Justin Maxson and Sarah Jaynes advocate for prioritizing federal investments to uplift all communities and ensure widespread economic benefits.

State and federal leaders say they’re making progress extending access into NC broadband internet gaps—mostly because of Biden infrastructure funding—but the Republican closure of an affordable broadband program for lower-income people threatens to dampen progress.

“Recently, we discovered that one of our school’s water fountains was contaminated with lead. We swiftly resolved the issue, but no teacher or student should have to worry about their most basic needs, like access to clean water,” she said.

North Carolina homeowners and renters could be hit with higher insurance rates later this year, and in the state’s coastal counties like Cartaret, New Hanover, and Brunswick, those rates could be astronomically higher. In January, the North Carolina Rate Bureau (NCRB) proposed an average insurance rate increase of 42.2% statewide, which was rejected by Commissioner…