RALEIGH, N.C. — Officials in North Carolina responsible for leading recovery efforts in western regions affected by Hurricane Helene and eastern areas still dealing with the aftermath of earlier hurricanes have conveyed to state legislators their pressing need for additional funding. They emphasized the urgency of this request during a recent legislative session.
According to representatives from Democratic Governor Josh Stein’s administration, western North Carolina is in dire need of billions more in financial assistance from both federal and state sources to meet its recovery objectives. Last year, the region experienced unprecedented flooding due to Hurricane Helene, resulting in nearly $60 billion in damages.
In a subsequent meeting, the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency urged lawmakers to allocate $217 million to complete the construction of over 1,100 homes in eastern North Carolina that were devastated by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018. Financial difficulties have plagued the office, including a budget shortfall reported last year, drawing criticism from various lawmakers.
During discussions about the funds required for recovery from Hurricane Helene, Jonathan Krebs, an advisor from the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, highlighted a significant funding gap of approximately $10 billion between the state’s requests to the federal government and the support received thus far. The administration is asking for this additional funding for western North Carolina to be included in any upcoming bills that address funding for southern California wildfires.
In response to lawmakers’ concerns regarding the management of the recovery process so far, Krebs advocated for a greater state investment in rebuilding efforts. He pointed out that the recovery office primarily relies on federal reimbursements, but having a robust pool of state funds would enable the office to maneuver more effectively without being encumbered by bureaucratic delays. He also indicated expectations of further holdups from federal authorities.
“We aim to avoid being mired in bureaucratic processes; our goal is to operate efficiently,” said Matt Calabria, the director of the office.
The recovery office has identified four essential needs for western North Carolina: removing debris, recovering housing, revitalizing the economy of affected towns, and repairing infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Krebs noted that they aspire to significantly complete housing projects in four years, while extensive road and bridge repairs may take about a decade.
Lawmakers have often contrasted the recovery efforts for western North Carolina with the performance of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency in the east, which has faced criticism for being slow and ineffective. Republican legislators have pledged to ensure that the recovery in western North Carolina proceeds more efficiently.
“Families are still waiting across the state for homes, and this situation is intolerable,” stated Columbus County Representative Brenden Jones during discussions.
Leaders within NCORR, including former COO Laura Hogshead, who left her post in November, have previously attributed the office’s financial challenges to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing infrastructure expenses. Nonetheless, NCORR leader Pryor Gibson admitted during recent hearings to “mistakes” in the management of housing recovery efforts.
Gibson shared that NCORR is facing difficulties in maintaining a consistent base of contractors due to financial constraints. He characterized this predicament as a “double jeopardy” that can only be resolved through “reliable funding,” rather than sporadic financial injections from the legislature.
“If we don’t have projects lined up, our contractors will walk away. They have made that clear,” Gibson remarked. “Without them, we won’t be able to restore eastern recovery effectively.”
Currently, over half of the 1,179 homes still needing construction are underway, while the others are awaiting initiation. Gibson projected that construction on these remaining homes could reach completion by the end of 2025, contingent on receiving the necessary financial support.
