End in sight? NCORR disaster recovery labeled ‘taxpayer sham’ 7 years later

State legislators were left even more confused on Thursday after hearing from the top executive in charge of disaster recovery—not from Hurricane Helene but from two hurricanes roughly seven years ago.

Though Hurricane Matthew hit North Carolina in 2016 and Florence hit the state two years later, there are still families across the state waiting for a home. The Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) was created in 2018 to assist in the rebuilding process following Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, but its financial mismanagement has resulted in ongoing failures. 

Members of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations questioned Pryor Gibson, director of NCORR, on Thursday morning about the delays in eastern recovery projects and when exactly the projects will be completed.

“Let’s be clear, this is not our first committee meeting on your failures — this is our fourth,” said Rep. Brendan Jones, R-Columbus. “We can’t keep doing this. This has been one of the biggest shams on the North Carolina taxpayers that’s ever taken place.”

With 1,150 homes still awaiting repairs, progress has stalled as NCORR halted new contracts. After facing major deficits, NCORR had suggested the program could be completed with $265 million, but NCORR is now requesting $300 million, $35 million more than previously requested. 

Gibson warned that the recovery effort will run out of funds by late February or early March, creating an urgent need for additional funding from the General Assembly.

“We are anticipating that sometime by the end of February or middle of March, we’ll be out of current cash flow,” he said.. “We’ll need money by the end of February.”

According to the NCORR data presented to legislators, 199 homeowners are in temporary housing while they still wait for their homes to begin construction. Gibson said many have been in temporary residential assistance for months because their homes are uninhabitable, which could mean their house was blown away, mold, or a variety of other factors.

“Of the 200 folks in that category we’re talking about, they’re probably in temporary residential assistance because their home is uninhabitable. It’s probably mold or blown away, or, I’d have to look,” he explained. “There’s some projects in step six, where their house literally is gone, and they either are in TRA or they’re on the street.”

Despite members hoping to receive a precise closing date for when the program will finally be done, Gibson estimated that the projects could be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026 depending on funding.

“We can clearly and directly say without question, that can finish eastern recovery – the 1,150 homes remaining in eastern recovery in a year if we get the funding that we need to make sure we can restart reissuing NTPs or notices to proceed at a rate that we can maintain our contractor infrastructure.”

Stein sidelines NCORR, forms new office to lead recovery in western NC

Gibson said over 200 employees are still working for NCORR. He clarified that the office will not be attempting to shift core staff to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

“The sad part is… I’m more confused today as to what you’re really doing and who’s going to get home and what the final price tag is than I have ever been, because there’s always such a dialog, trying to explain away,” said Rep. Mark Pless, R-Haywood.

The post End in sight? NCORR disaster recovery labeled ‘taxpayer sham’ 7 years later first appeared on Carolina Journal.

 

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