- According to the latest NCORR data and media reports, about 1,600 North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Florence are still without permanent housing.
Gov. Roy Cooper is requesting $3.9 billion from the state legislature to begin rebuilding infrastructure, homes, businesses, schools, and farms damaged by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. However, state legislative leaders have raised concerns about past mismanagement by Cooper’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, citing issues with the handling of recovery efforts following Hurricanes Florence and Matthew.
At a press conference in Raleigh and a press release Wednesday, Cooper says initial damage estimates are $53 billion, roughly three times Hurricane Florence’s estimates of around $17 billion in 2018, and the largest in state history.
“Helene is the deadliest and most damaging storm ever to hit North Carolina,” said Cooper, a Democrat. “This storm left a trail of destruction in our beautiful mountains that we will not soon forget, but I know the people of Western North Carolina are determined to build back better than ever. These initial funds are a good start, but the staggering amount of damage shows we are very much on the front end of this recovery effort.”
He said recovery efforts will require significant investments by private insurers and federal, state, and local governments.
Cooper’s state budget recommendation mentioned the economic devastation to western North Carolina. Thousands of businesses in the region suffered damages, leaving many without businesses or jobs.
He recommends that $650 million be used to address economic losses and physical damage for non-agricultural businesses and non-profit organizations, including a revival of the pandemic-era Business Recovery Grant Program, which helped North Carolina’s economy recover faster than the national average.
historic storm damage season
Cooper signed an emergency executive order last week raising and extending unemployment insurance with a bipartisan and unanimous vote of the Council of State.
In addressing housing needs, his budget recommendation includes $650 million to address physical damage to residential structures and the cost of housing assistance. It would jumpstart permanent housing construction without waiting for federal funding which can take months or years to be approved.
Cooper also suggested that $578 million be used to address the physical damage and cleanup of energy, water, waste cleanup, telecommunications, dams, and other infrastructure. Much of this infrastructure is in geographically isolated locations and challenging to reach, slowing the restoration of services to communities.
He also addresses the approximately 5,000 miles of state-maintained roads across the affected area in western North Carolina, including several major national interstates and critical transportation corridors that were damaged due to Helene, and recommends $55 million be used to address the physical damage and state revenue implications of the transportation infrastructure damage.
Cooper also recommended $422 million to address physical damage and business disruption for agricultural enterprises. The storm caused significant damage to hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land and hundreds of structures.
His proposed budget also includes $420 million for needs related to Potential Tropical Storm 8, Tropical Storm Debby, and funds to complete homeowner assistance for Hurricanes Florence and Matthew.
problems with the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency
Cooper’s request comes as the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR), the agency responsible for assisting victims of natural disasters, including hurricanes, is facing a $175 million hole in its budget.
Senate Republicans put out a press release Wednesday afternoon that said it is requesting an additional 27% of its budget to continue operations.
According to the latest NCORR data and media reports, about 1,600 North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Florence are still without permanent housing.
“NCORR leaders have repeatedly tried to cover up their failures at the expense of hurricane victims,” said Senate Leader and Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations Committee Chairman Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. “Their attempts to hide problems rather than own up to their incompetence has resulted in a continuing disaster for hurricane victims. Now, Gov. Cooper is asking for an additional $175 million with little to no time to evaluate the request. It’s past time for Gov. Cooper to take accountability for his six years of mismanagement and financial carelessness.”
The Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations Hurricane Response and Recovery Subcommittee will meet next month to get a better understanding of the agency’s financial mismanagement and why the information was hidden from the legislature until right before it returned to pass the second Hurricane Helene recovery package.