Matt Allen, LOTSAR director of professional development and government affairs, and LOTSAR member Stephanie Walker with cartons of bottled water
©Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS®
Matt Allen, LOTSAR director of professional development and government affairs, and LOTSAR member Stephanie Walker.

For the towns of Augusta, Ga., and Asheville, N.C., Hurricane Helene was expected to cause some wind and thunderstorms.

But in late September, Augusta woke up to nearly 100 mile-per- hour winds that uprooted pines and oaks—up to 90% of the canopy in some areas. The trees pounded down on homes, cars and utility lines, trapping residents on their streets for days in many cases. And in the Asheville region, unprecedented rainfall rerouted rivers and roads, stranding families and washing away businesses, homes and even entire neighborhoods, including downtown Chimney Rock. It also caused prolonged power outages, contaminated water sources and has led to $53 billion in damages in North Carolina alone.

For Stacie Adkins, RCE, CEO of REALTORS® of Greater Augusta, and Bryan Wooding, director of membership and communications and professional standards administrator for Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS® in Asheville, the days and weeks that followed quickly turned from business as usual to disaster response.

Here are some of the actions taken and lessons learned:

  • Helene took down power lines and internet service in Asheville. Cell service was the first to return, so LOTSAR turned to social media, email and web communications, as well as phone calls, to check on members and communicate resources.
  • With the association office located in an area with underground utilities and its internet provider just next door, RGA was lucky—it regained power and internet in the first week after the storm. It quickly established a disaster relief application, mirrored after the state association’s application, to identify specific member needs, and it opened its office so members could power devices and use the internet. RGA also mobilized available staff, officers, directors and volunteers to make personal phone calls to check on members.
  • Under the leadership of President Nick Hinton and Past President Katie Wangrin, LOTSAR opened a supply depot, distributing bottled water, formula, nonperishable food, first aid items, batteries, hot meals, wheelbarrows and other tools, and other resources donated by the members locally and from across the state.

    LOTSAR staff also assisted families applying for REALTORS® Relief Foundation funds.
Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS® set up a supply center to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene
©Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS®

Helene’s effects were tragic and will be long-lasting, but we are overwhelmingly proud of the REALTOR® community.” 

—Stacie Adkins, REALTORS® of Greater Augusta

  • RGA became a relief center, stocked with groceries and essential items for members, while volunteer teams were sent to affected areas to distribute supplies and provide aid. RGA also worked closely with local nonprofit organizations to support the broader community, donating supplies, volunteering time and providing financial assistance.
  • For members, LOTSAR shared information on financial recovery for small businesses and how to apply for FEMA funds. It held educational sessions on how to handle pending contracts affected by Helene and other post-disaster real estate issues. When power returned to the office, the association opened its event space for members who needed internet service and a place to work.
  • Both state associations waived dues for members of the local boards.
  • RGA says it learned the importance of having a robust disaster preparedness plan in place. While it was able to adapt to the challenges after the storm, a pre-arranged plan would have allowed it to respond more efficiently. Working together with local EMA offices and the state’s public service commission, the association is developing a comprehensive plan outlining response procedures.