Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall last week in the Big Bend region of Florida near the city of Perry, moving north with high winds, flooding, and tornadoes impacting communities throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
According to initial data analysis by CoreLogic published on Sept. 27, wind and storm surge losses for insured residential and commercial properties in Florida and Georgia alone were expected to be between $3 and $5 billion.
In response to the storm, state and local home builders associations across the southeast have launched efforts to support the needs of community members in impacted areas.
In Florida, the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) has mobilized several initiatives to assist those impacted by the storm, including launching a disaster relief fund. The FHBA Disaster Relief Donations webpage is directly accepting donations. The FHBA tells Builder the funds raised will be used to provide essential supplies and to assist with the long-term rebuilding efforts for the hardest-hit areas. In Florida, the American Red Cross and disaster response non-profit Team Rubicon are also accepting donations to support their efforts to aid those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Additionally, the FHBA has hosted supply distribution events in some of the most affected communities in the state, including High Springs and Steinhatchee. The events focused on providing materials such as water, non-perishable food items, and building suppliers to help residents and contractors begin the recovery process.
In North Carolina, the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA) has established a disaster relief fund to support members, state home builders associations, and communities impacted by the storm. The NCHBA is matching all donations up to $100,000. In a Facebook post dated Oct. 3, the NCHBA announced it has collected $217,000 in contributions and pledges.
In the western part of North Carolina, the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains is working closely with BeLoved Asheville to coordinate efforts to get supplies to impacted individuals and communities, with a focus on food and water.
In Georgia, the Home Builders of Greater Aiken Augusta Region has established a Builders Community Fund with community non-profit partner The Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area. The donations will go toward buying supplies and helping with Hurricane Helene response efforts in Aiken and Edgefield, Georgia as well as across the state.
