On January 31, 2025, the North Carolina House Select Committee on Helene Recovery met for the first time in the 2025 legislative session. The meeting, which lasted three hours, focused on the ongoing challenges of recovering from Hurricane Helene, a storm that caused massive damage across the state. Lawmakers discussed the urgent need for temporary housing, debris removal, and how to handle recovery efforts more effectively.
The GROW NC office, which was created by Governor Josh Stein in early 2025, is responsible for coordinating the state’s response to the disaster. Matt Calabria, the director of GROW NC, and advisor Jonathan Krebs presented updates on the recovery efforts. They explained that despite their best efforts, there are still major obstacles to providing temporary housing to those affected by the storm.
The most heated issue discussed was the need for temporary housing, particularly travel trailers. Lawmakers, including Rep. Jeffrey McNeely, R-Iredell, voiced frustration that despite the government’s efforts, many areas are still lacking sufficient housing. Rep. McNeely mentioned that in Hickory, North Carolina, he saw hundreds of travel trailers sitting unused, despite the ongoing housing crisis.
Jonathan Krebs, however, explained that many residents in the affected areas do not want the trailers. He said that GROW NC had made over 3,000 calls to those in need, but many had rejected the trailers. The reason? The residents would only accept the trailers if they were titled in their names. While some people were open to receiving the trailers, Krebs stated that most people preferred to wait for a more permanent housing solution. He also mentioned that this issue isn’t just specific to North Carolina—it’s a challenge faced by FEMA and other organizations involved in disaster recovery.
This statement did not sit well with several lawmakers, who argued that FEMA’s response has been slow and inadequate. Rep. Mark Pless, R-Haywood, said that FEMA had not been doing enough to help the people in western North Carolina, especially when it came to distributing the trailers. He shared stories of families who were waiting to receive temporary housing but had been denied or faced delays.
Rep. David Willis, R-Union, added that many people were struggling to even cash FEMA checks they had received, making it even harder for them to secure a place to stay. He emphasized the need for immediate solutions to help these families.
Will Ray, the Director of North Carolina Emergency Management, spoke about the current efforts to get temporary trailers to the affected counties. He mentioned that trailers had been distributed to areas such as Ash, Avery, Haywood, McDowell, and Watauga counties. However, he also noted that floodplain restrictions had made it difficult to place some trailers in certain areas, though FEMA had waived some of these restrictions to speed up the process.
The state has already requested $25.7 billion in federal aid, with $15.7 billion already approved. In addition, the governor’s office is asking for an extension of FEMA’s 100% cost-sharing program for six more months and additional funding for the recovery effort. Despite the slow pace of recovery, leaders are focused on doing more than previous administrations did after hurricanes Florence and Matthew.
Another important topic discussed during the meeting was the need for changes to how FEMA handles disaster recovery. President Donald Trump recently visited Asheville, North Carolina, where he criticized FEMA’s slow response. Trump argued that states should take more control over disaster recovery instead of relying on FEMA’s slow and bureaucratic processes. He suggested that states like North Carolina should be able to lead their recovery efforts, rather than waiting on FEMA’s approval.
While officials acknowledged the challenges they face, they remained focused on providing better and faster recovery for the people of western North Carolina. They also discussed the possibility of bringing FEMA representatives to future meetings to explain the situation in more detail. Legislators also expressed interest in visiting the affected areas to see the damage firsthand.
(Source : jocoreport.com)
