With such a small percent of Hurricane Helene victims living in temporary FEMA housing units across Western North Carolina, the incoming Trump administration has pledged to “immediately” cut red tape pertaining to structures in the flood zone.
But of the vague policy ideas floated publicly so far, it’s unclear how much – if any – help that would be.
In recent weeks, BPR has taken a deep dive into public records and conversations with officials at the local, state and federal levels. The reporting makes clear FEMA already has the power to place mobile homes in the floodplain. But the agency only does so when there’s no other option – something that hasn’t happened yet.
As thousands of families are living in hotels and apartments paid for by FEMA, some Republicans at the state and federal level still blame FEMA – specifically calling out the agency’s stance on placing temporary housing units in established flood zones.
However, BPR found that some local governments in WNC have already removed what would have been the ultimate hurdle to installing temporary housing for disaster survivors in the 100- year flood plain, sometimes called the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Currently, FEMA has fewer than 20 private sites in the SFHA under consideration for a temporary housing unit.
While it is true that fewer than 100 families are living in trailers or RV’s bought and installed by FEMA, many people on the ground in North Carolina say the hold-up stems from ordinary construction timelines and typical government purchasing delays. To address the latter, in his first act as governor, North Carolina’s Josh Stein directed state officials to expedite purchasing.
In a matter of days, Stein’s executive order to waive standard procurement rules has enabled 21 families to be in or close to taking residence in government-funded trailers after losing their homes in Hurricane Helene.

Still, the low numbers of FEMA temporary housing units in Western North Carolina more than three months after the storm has drawn ire and accusations.
The reason these units are taking so long in North Carolina is more complicated than some politicians are making it seem to their constituents, BPR’s reporting shows.
FEMA policy already allows for units on flood-prone property – including in Buncombe County, the hardest hit during Helene – it’s just treated as a last-resort option.
In a FEMA letter sent Dec. 19 to North Carolina’s director of emergency management, the agency wrote: “...The available housing resources outside of floodplains, including commercial parks and rental units, are generally sufficient to meet the needs of most applicants. Available housing resources exceed the number of eligible applicants across affected counties.”
Brett Howard, a FEMA federal coordinating officer, noted that placing units in flood zones “will only be considered in cases where exigent circumstances are present and no other reasonable housing options are available.” This, he wrote, is because of risks of flash flooding and limited evacuation routes.
Craig Fugate, who headed FEMA under the Obama administration, said that the argument among politicians is nothing new.
“ I get why people aren't happy. I get why the politicians want an easy answer, because nobody wants the hard reality that putting temporary structures back in a special flood risk zone is not good public policy,” Fugate told BPR.
Despite the political wrangling, flood zone regulations are not the root cause of the lack of FEMA units popping up in Western North Carolina. Local, state and federal officials told BPR one cause is the complexity of construction.
Build-out requires weeks or months as temporary homes need site prep, such as leveling, and safe access to essential infrastructure including water, sewer, and electric service to temporary homes. The site also must be accessible to heavy equipment – a challenge both in terms of mountainous terrain and total space on the property.
“ It is construction, and it is contracting. That is the reason sometimes that the most well-known (program) isn't necessarily the fastest,” Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Jeremy Slinker said during a December media briefing held by FEMA. “We have to prepare lots, find utilities and work through contracting commercial sites.”
Local changes make way for FEMA
Soon after Helene, Buncombe County and other local governments loosened zoning restrictions that would typically preclude temporary housing units from being occupied in a Special Flood Hazard Area.
This cleared the way for FEMA, as the agency’s rules require that temporary housing units not violate local ordinances.
As a general rule, FEMA will try to avoid placing housing units in the SFHA, but will do so if it is the only practicable alternative.
For any FEMA installation, the agency assesses sites on a case-by-case basis and the local government signs off on permits and other paperwork.
In an email sent to BPR, a spokesperson for FEMA wrote that, “each site is reviewed separately with all the considerations noted within the regulations. The site assessment review is ongoing, in coordination with the state and local floodplain manager. The final decision/approval to place a unit in the SFHA resides with the local government.”
According to federal regulations, FEMA follows an eight-step decision making process when considering building anything in a floodplain. The process helps FEMA decide if there are any other alternatives to placing units in the floodplain.
After recent storms in Louisiana and Florida, FEMA has placed units in the floodplain when they’ve found no other practicable alternatives.
According to FEMA, as of Dec. 31, no units had been placed in the SFHA area in Western North Carolina. But the agency says it is still assessing each site on a case-by-case basis.
Buncombe County Planning Director Nathan Pennington wrote to BPR that “FEMA is trying to avoid placing RV’s in the SFHA. However, this is allowed pursuant to both our local flood ordinance and FEMA guidelines. The RV’s must be tagged and road ready so that they may be moved in case of another anticipated flood event.”
Each site is a new challenge
Even with some red tape removed, actual construction can be slow, officials told BPR.
For this reason, Fugate – the former FEMA leader – said FEMA prefers commercial or group sites that already have essential infrastructure in place, such as utilities and hook-ups.
A unit installed on private land requires a “significant” amount of time before it is inhabitable, according to Julia Moline, deputy assistant administrator for logistics operations at FEMA.
With tens of thousands of homes in Western North Carolina damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene, the need for temporary housing is great.
For those whose homes were completely destroyed, a temporary FEMA trailer or RV may provide a more stable living situation than a hotel or staying with friends and family.
“Once the site…is determined to be feasible we issue what's called a work order to have the home delivered and installed. The delivery and installation process includes placing the home on the site, anchoring the home, connecting all utilities, making sure everything complies with local permitting requirements and conducting a final inspection,” Moline explained during a media briefing in November.
“Once that final inspection is complete. The survivor signs a lease and receives the keys to their new home.”
Politicians zero-in on program
On Nov. 22, U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd along with U.S. Reps. Virginia Foxx and Chuck Edwards, all Republicans, sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on the White House to “immediately direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy FEMA temporary housing resources – including travel trailers and manufactured homes” to Western North Carolina.
“FEMA regulations prevent the deployment of temporary housing resources in areas prone to flooding. While this policy is designed to protect the safety of homeowners waiting to be able to return to their homes from the risk of dangerous further flooding, the policy can also prevent residents from being able to stay on their own property, which would make it more difficult for impacted residents to stay close to family and loved ones, attend school, continue working, and help their communities rebuild,” the letter read.
During a Dec. 6 visit to Asheville, Vice President-elect JD Vance commented on the letter.
“They’ve started the conversation, but it’s up to the Biden administration to actually respond to this request and allow us to get the residences and the homes that we need, even if just on a temporary basis,” Vance said. “If it takes 45 days, that’s something that is going to change immediately under President Trump’s leadership.”
But according to federal and local officials, even with far less regulations, putting thousands of temporary FEMA trailers on private property will still take time.
“ This isn't like their first time anybody's come up with this argument. I think it's a standard playbook of local officials: blame FEMA for red tape,” Fugate said. “The reality is they're not going to do much to change anything.”
Fugate noted that local governments have to walk a fine line between allowing temporary structures in the SFHA and abiding by FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, which provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses.
Earlier this month, Gov. Stein announced five executive orders, marking his first actions as governor. The first order allows the state to sidestep the normal procurement process for vendors to provide these units, a process that takes about a month.
The state has more flexibility than FEMA in terms of what types of units they can purchase and where they can place the units. Because the units belong to the state and not FEMA, that territory includes the SFHA.
The order allows for the state to purchase up to 1,000 units, something officials say they are confident can happen. While this will improve the availability of these units, the time it takes to do site assessments and construction is unlikely to change.
FEMA temporary housing by the numbers
Helene damaged 9,234 residential units in Buncombe County, according to County Manager Avril Pinder. Of those, 331 were destroyed and about 8,300 require repairs to make the home safe and livable.
In Buncombe County, officials say there are at least 27 families in temporary housing units and more are on the way.
“We removed anything that would be a barrier to that [program] so that we could quickly expedite it. We've removed any barriers that would prevent the placement of an RV at your house, while you're watching your house be repaired,” Pennington told BPR.
“We have done anything in our power to expedite that process. When FEMA says, ‘Hey, this person's been approved for an RV at their house.’ We immediately go in and we approve it.”
There are still areas that are off-limits to temporary structures or RV’s. While these can get permits in a floodplain, the county won’t allow temporary housing in a floodway – which includes any body of water and its surrounding banks.
“ Placing RVs in a floodway, though, is dangerous,’ Pennington said. “So we don't want to place RVs in the floodway, but we can certainly place them on a temporary basis in the floodplain.”
As of Jan. 7, FEMA said it has placed 88 families throughout WNC in temporary housing units. Most – 52 – are on a commercial site that FEMA contracted; 36 have a FEMA unit on private lots.
FEMA has contracted with 10 commercial parks to be able to place units, and the agency is working with more than 20 other parks for potential contracting purposes.
The federal government also has several options for the thousands who are displaced in Western North Carolina, including hotel vouchers and rental assistance.
More than 2,000 households are staying in hotels and motels paid for by FEMA and another 700-plus families are using rental assistance provided by FEMA. The agency said it has provided $2.3 million in rental assistance so far.
According to the agency, five families are using direct lease, a program where FEMA pays for existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties for long-term leasing.
The number of temporary housing units can be attributed to the difficulties surrounding construction as well as the number of people who actually qualify – or even apply – to have a unit installed.
According to an analysis of FEMA data from The Washington Post, only about 15% of households in the affected region have applied to the agency for individual and household assistance. The analysis found the number was far less in North Carolina than in Georgia and South Carolina – states that sustained comparatively less damage. Twice as many households have applied for FEMA help in Georgia and South Carolina compared to North Carolina, the analysis found.
The low number of applications, lengthy construction process and FEMA’s regulatory caution are all reasons for the low number of temporary housing sites, according to Fugate.
“ It's an easy punt to just say, ‘It's all the White House's fault, or it's all FEMA's fault,’” Fugate said. “I'm like, ‘Well, if you think that the White House can do this, wait. Wait another 20 days, ask again. Maybe it'll change.’”
North Carolina residents impacted by Helene can apply by calling the North Carolina Department of Public Safety hotline at 884-746-2326.