Stephanie McGarrah has been appointed as the Deputy Secretary for the newly established Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) at the North Carolina Department of Commerce, effective January 22. Her appointment is part of Governor Josh Stein’s initiative to focus on recovery and revitalization efforts for western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. McGarrah will oversee the management of federal block grant funds allocated for the recovery efforts. Her role is aimed at supporting the rebuilding and revitalization of affected communities.
McGarrah, a native of Morganton and Lake Junaluska, brings a wealth of experience in public service and economic recovery to her new position. She previously served as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Pandemic Recovery Office, handling $11.5 billion in federal recovery funding. Her career also includes leadership roles with various health organizations in North Carolina, where she addressed critical challenges such as healthcare workforce shortages. This appointment marks her return to the Commerce Department, where she served from 2007 to 2013 as an Assistant Secretary.
The DCR is tasked with using $1.4 billion in federal Community Development Block Grants-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are intended for long-term rebuilding efforts in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, with a focus on housing recovery. The DCR is collaborating with the Governor’s office and HUD to expedite the recovery process for western North Carolina. However, applications for these funds are not yet being accepted as the funds are not currently available.
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