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Today Governor Josh Stein joined North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley and local partners to unveil the state’s 2026 schedule of premier events supported by the Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund. The lineup features crowd-pleasers that create jobs, support local businesses, boost tourism, and reinforce the reasons North Carolina consistently ranks as a top state for business, workforce development, and travel.
Today Governor Stein visited Bethel to discuss a new grant awarded to the Pitt County town to support sustainable housing reconstruction. Bethel was one of four towns – including Elm City, La Grange, and Nashville – to receive $950,000 in Community Development Block Grants to improve housing and public spaces, helping families build stability and supporting long-term economic growth.
Today, Renew NC, North Carolina’s disaster recovery program, is reminding homeowners in western North Carolina that the deadline to apply for housing recovery assistance through the Single-Family Housing Program is fast approaching. Applications must be submitted to Renew NC by January 31 and can be completed online, in person, or over the phone.
Throughout 2025, the North Carolina Department of Commerce has played a central role in supporting western North Carolina’s recovery after Hurricane Helene, including delivering housing assistance, workforce support, and economic recovery resources to help communities stabilize and rebuild. Through coordinated efforts across multiple Commerce divisions, the state has assisted thousands of families, workers, and small businesses while laying the foundation for long-term resilience and economic strength.
Today Renew NC, North Carolina’s housing recovery program, announced that the deadline for western North Carolina homeowners to apply for assistance through the Single-Family Housing Program (SFHP) has been extended to January 31. The extension provides one additional month for homeowners to submit applications for help with repairing, reconstructing, or replacing homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina got its federally funded housing program up and running faster than any other Helene-impacted state.
Today Governor Josh Stein announced that the State is accepting applications for a new disaster recovery program to repair or rebuild small rental properties in western North Carolina that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The Small Rental Rehabilitation Program is the second Renew NC recovery initiative to be offered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization.
Governor Josh Stein announced this week that more than $7 million in economic development grants benefiting 15 North Carolina counties has been awarded by the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC). The grants will support job creation and retention, investments in critical infrastructure that fuel economic growth, and strengthened workforce development pipelines through targeted training and education.
Governor Josh Stein today announced that the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 15 grant requests for local governments totaling $5,042,113. The grants include commitments to creating a total of 702 jobs, 386 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects is expected to attract more than $104 million in private sector investment.
Today, the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced the county tier designations for 2026. The designations, which are mandated by state law, play a role in several programs that assist in economic development.Eighteen counties will change tier designations for 2026.Counties moving to a less distressed tier ranking include Beaufort, Camden, Davie, Graham, Macon, Montgomery, Randolph, Stanly, and Surry.Counties moving to a more distressed tier ranking include Buncombe, Burke, Granville, Haywood, Henderson, Jones, Madison, Pasquotank, and Yancey.
Today Governor Josh Stein and NC Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley visited a completed home rehabilitation project in Fairview to highlight Renew NC’s work to repair and rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Helene.