Some tenants who could barely afford rent in western North Carolina before Hurricane Helene have fallen behind and are now facing the possibility of eviction.

Though they were seven hours away, their suffering felt like his own. He couldn’t bear the thought of watching his home swallowed by floodwaters, losing friends and family to a sudden disaster, or spending Thanksgiving alone,

It’s been two months since Hurricane Helene cut a path of deadly destruction across the Southeast. Ahead of the holiday season, PBS News returned to the hard-hit region of western North Carolina, where despite the challenges they face rebuilding their lives,

According to FEMA, 33 families have temporary homes to call their own in Western North Carolina as of Thanksgiving and nearly 500 families have been approved for housing. FEMA is paying hotel costs for almost 12,000 survivors in the state. The federal agency has already paid more than $ 940,000 to help survivors with their rent.

Asheville officials said they support an evictions pause - a measure that was instituted in Maui after last summer’s fires and in most states during the coronavirus pandemic. But in North Carolina, only the governor, the general assembly or the state Supreme Court can enact a moratorium.

Some local North Carolina officials are concerned the provision could impact the way cities manage their growth.

The nonprofit is working hard to get people back into homes for the holidays after Hurricane Helene destroyed many western North Carolina homes in September. Andy Barnett is the Executive Director, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and tells us how the organization is helping people recover.