The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and North Carolina’s new governor are poised to announce fresh recovery efforts following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene across the state in the fall.
Josh Stein (D), who was elected in November and succeeds term-limited Democratic incumbent Roy Cooper, was sworn into office on New Year’s Day and has made Helene recovery a central pillar of his first week in office.
During his first full day on the job, Stein signed five executive orders aimed at bolstering the state’s recovery efforts. Two of these orders waive certain logistical requirements in an effort to boost the state’s supply of temporary housing and to enable the acceleration of repairs to critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges damaged by the event.
Three additional orders focused on recovery also established new offices designed to deal with the needs of state residents.
One order reorganizes the state’s executive branch to create the “Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC).” Stein’s office described this as “a dedicated recovery office for western North Carolina within the office of the governor,” which also establishes a “Division of Community Revitalization within [the state’s] Department of Commerce to address housing needs and community resilience.”
Another order establishes an advisory committee to work in tandem with GROW NC and direct resources based on need, while a final order directs the state’s Office of State Human Resources “to authorize an additional 16 hours of Community Service Leave for state employees to volunteer for organized storm-related efforts,” Stein’s office said.
Local reporting from an NBC affiliate in Charlotte also said Stein’s announcement with HUD will be made alongside “a federal official performing the duties of the Secretary of [HUD].” This seems to imply that he will appear with Adrianne Todman, the current acting secretary of HUD, who has been referred to as “HUD Agency Head” in the department’s recent official announcements.
On Tuesday morning, Stein toured Helene damage in Old Fort, a small town of roughly 800 people where 47 homes were destroyed and an additional 36 were damaged during the hurricane. He was joined by the town’s mayor, Pam Snypes, and spoke to local business owners while addressing the recovery needs of the area.
“Businesses are reopening their doors, we’ve got to get housing rebuilt, tourists need to come back to Old Fort to support this local economy,” Stein told local ABC affiliate WSOC. “They’re ready to be welcoming people, we just need to be there for them.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told the outlet that thousands of western North Carolina residents remain temporarily housed in motels across the region after being displaced by the storm.
