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.

Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast at the end of September, killing at least 62 people, but the long-term damage from the storm is still being felt in places like North Carolina. There, scores of people are facing eviction as the state struggles with a combination economic-housing crisis.

Toys for Tots anticipates a greater need this year for donations in western North Carolina after the Helene disaster.

Shawn Hendrix, a Mr. Beast employee, spoke to Top Story about ongoing relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. He noted significant cleanup and rebuilding progress but emphasized that those struggling before the storm are now facing even greater challenges.

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,

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.