Economy

N.C. leaders eye building code changes after Helene devastation

Officials hope it could help residents better withstand damage from future hurricanes.
Resident Anne Schneider, right, hugs her friend Eddy Sampson as they survey damage left in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

As North Carolina reckons with the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, some officials and Democratic lawmakers in the state say stronger state building codes could help communities withstand the next disaster.

Republican legislative leaders have in recent years loosened codes to cut construction costs. But lawmakers and regulators may now consider changes in the storm’s aftermath.

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