After Helene, a push to stave off evictions in North Carolina

“We had an avalanche of need with this hurricane,” one advocate said. “And there’s this second avalanche coming with these evictions.”

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The Rev. Marcia Mount Shoop at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina. The church has doubled as a donation and aid center since Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state. (Allison Joyce for The Washington Post)
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asia Aiken sat with an eviction notice in her hand and weariness on her face.

Like many others, she had come to Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church to seek help with housing after Hurricane Helene battered this region. Aiken, a 21-year-old Asheville native, was already a half month behind on rent when the storm struck, shuttering the sandwich shop where she works and putting her in an even deeper hole. Now, two weeks after she had gone to court for an eviction hearing, she had only days to vacate her home.

Hurricane Helene

Helene has become the deadliest hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. mainland since Katrina. Helene struck the Big Bend region of Florida as a Category 4 storm. See how Helene compares to other past storms in the Gulf Coast.

The latest: More than 100 deaths have been reported across six states, with North Carolina accounting for the most lives lost. The mountainous western portions of the state were hit the hardest, and many roads remain closed as residents struggle to access water and power. See photos of the storm’s destruction across North Carolina.

Helene’s impact: Many regions in Florida saw their worst storm surge ever as Helene made landfall. Thousands of uninsured homes were in Helene’s path, and it’s estimated the storm caused up to $26 billion in property damage.