Topics Related to Recovery

North Carolina’s new Regional Resilience Portfolio Program has launched a partnership that will advance resilience in eastern regions of the state impacted by Hurricane Florence.

The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) has committed funding to more than 1,000 new affordable housing units in regions of North Carolina hard-hit by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence.

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack has granted North Carolina’s request for a primary county disaster designation for twelve North Carolina counties following excessive rain and flooding from Tropical Storm Fred that occurred from August 15 through August 17, 2021. Six additional counties were also named as contiguous disaster counties. 

The N.C. Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program marked its Oct. 15 one-year anniversary with more than a half-billion dollars in pandemic relief funds awarded to North Carolina landlords and utility companies on behalf of vulnerable families.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – As part of the disaster assistance process, FEMA must determine ownership and occupancy of damaged primary residences. Recently, the agency took steps to make it easier for disaster survivors in Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties who experienced flooding from Tropical Storm Fred to verify ownership and occupancy.

Owners and renters must be able to prove they occupied the disaster-damaged primary residence before receiving Housing Assistance and some types of Other Needs Assistance. FEMA now accepts a broader range of documentation:

The White House and FEMA have granted Governor Roy Cooper’s Aug. 27 request for a major disaster declaration for seven North Carolina counties that were hit hard by floods after Tropical Storm Fred.

“This federal disaster declaration will help provide assistance for Western North Carolina communities to rebuild stronger and smarter, and I appreciate the president’s approval of our request,” said Gov. Cooper.

The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency will host a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 to receive public feedback on a proposed amendment to the state’s action plan for using a new allocation of $34.6 million in HUD Community Development Block Grant–Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding related to Hurricane Florence. The hearing is part of the current mitigation action plan public comment period that runs through 5 p.m. June 27, 2021. 

The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved $2,072,997 to reimburse Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation for repairs to the electrical distribution system due to damage by strong winds, flying debris and blowing rain during Hurricane Isaias in 2020.

In addition to conductor repairs, restoration of the electrical grid included replacement of 27 utility poles and 29 transformers.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper and Chief Operating Officer of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) Laura Hogshead shared an update on the application process for the N.C. Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program. The program is open for a second application period to assist very low-income renters that are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. The HOPE Program provides rent and utility bill assistance to prevent evictions and utility disconnections.

The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) is seeking public comment on Substantial Action Plan Amendment 2 of North Carolina’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Action Plan. The draft amendment outlines how the state proposes to use a new allocation of $34.6 million in mitigation funds related to Hurricane Florence impacts to the state.