State Treasurer Briner Donates First Loan Repayment to Helene-Affected Communities

North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner announced on Feb. 5 that he personally covered the first required repayment on interest-free Cashflow Loans designed to help communities hit by Hurricane Helene. The payment, a nominal $1, was intended to remove a routine clerical step so local officials can focus on recovery work rather than administrative minutiae.

The Cashflow Loan Program was created by the General Assembly under SB 382, the Disaster Recovery Act of 2024, which became law in December. The State Treasurer’s office is administering the program as a stopgap so municipalities and counties can meet immediate needs while they await federal disaster relief. Jeff Poley, director of Disaster Services and Rural Economic Development for the Treasurer’s office, said, “We had a big goal on a short deadline, and we are excited to announce that help is on the way.” He added, “Jeff Poley and his team worked relentlessly to create the program from the bottom up, recognizing, as we all did, that the residents of western North Carolina needed rapid resources to restore upended lives and rebuild neighborhoods.”

Officials report substantial first-round activity in western North Carolina. As of Feb. 21, loans totaling $73,499,999.98 had been approved for 98 local governments in the region, and some jurisdictions already had funds in hand. Those approvals were described as the first round of interest-free loans to speed cash to local governments coping with storm damage and recovery needs.

Briner framed his personal payment as practical relief. “Communities in Western North Carolina need to concentrate their efforts on making themselves whole again, not on jumping through an administrative hoop,” he said. “I am happy to make this small donation on behalf of the 100-plus loans that have been sent out.” State communications and coverage also describe Briner’s move as intended to buy time and reduce paperwork burdens so reconstruction and relief work can proceed uninterrupted.

Some numbers in public accounts remain inconsistent. The Disaster Recovery Act is described in reporting as a $100 million cashflow loan program under SB 382, while other communications state that more than $150 million has been distributed to communities in need. The Treasurer’s office is administering the program and Jeff Poley’s team is working with local governments that have experienced documentation delays, including setbacks tied to winter storm closures, to complete applications by an extended deadline.

For Buncombe County residents, the immediate implication is procedural relief: if local jurisdictions are among approved recipients, the clerical waiver represented by Briner’s $1 payment could simplify early repayment paperwork and allow officials to prioritize debris removal, infrastructure repair, and household aid. Watch for a public list of recipients and disbursement amounts from the State Treasurer’s office to confirm whether specific Buncombe municipalities are included. Longer term, the program’s pace of approvals and the reconciliation of funding totals will determine how quickly local recovery moves from short-term stabilization to rebuilding.