In the aftermath of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, North Carolina's former Governor Roy Cooper's administration directed approximately $100 million in disaster funding towards affordable housing projects, according to an analysis by the John Locke Foundation. This decision occurred while many storm victims remained in temporary housing, raising concerns about the allocation of disaster relief funds.
The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) allocated the funds despite facing a budget shortfall. One project funded was Starway Village, a $9 million complex providing 278 units for individuals earning around $45,000 annually, located about 12 miles from the beach. Notably, these affordable housing projects do not require applicants to be hurricane victims.
While Cooper's team did not provide comments, a spokesperson for NCORR defended the affordable housing initiative, stating it did not impede recovery efforts for storm victims. The spokesperson emphasized that NCORR collaborated with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assess and prioritize needs in storm-affected areas, ensuring compliance with federal funding requirements.
A report by WHQR indicated that years after the hurricanes, over a thousand families were still without rebuilt or repaired homes. Despite this, NCORR maintained that integrating affordable housing into recovery plans is standard practice, as HUD encourages a diverse program portfolio and requires demonstrated need for funding approval.
The spokesperson also highlighted that NCORR's ReBuild NC program has successfully returned 4,240 families in eastern North Carolina to safer homes. During Cooper's tenure, an audit revealed that more than 1,100 homes remained unfinished when he left office, while 3,522 homes were reported as rebuilt. Cooper has claimed responsibility for the repair or rebuilding of over 14,000 homes, although his campaign clarified that this figure includes efforts beyond those funded by HUD.
The audit indicated that the average time to determine eligibility for reconstruction funds was 138 days, with construction often taking four years to commence after eligibility was established. Cooper is currently running for a Senate seat against Republican Michael Whatley, with recent polls indicating he holds a 9-point lead.