After 6 years in FEMA trailers, hotels, some see hope to rebuild after NC hurricanes
Viola Ryals Figueroa is finally seeing some progress.
There’s a house going up on her Goldsboro property after losing her home during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. She’s lived in a FEMA trailer since then.
“It’s not our fault that we [were] displaced six years and four months ago,” Figueroa said. “And, as you can tell, we’re still displaced six years and four months later.”
The WRAL Documentary “Aftermath: North Carolina Hurricane Victims Left Behind” examined the delays that the state program supposed to help her and thousands of others experienced. ReBuild NC oversees $800 million in federal tax money to help low-income hurricane Matthew and Florence victims get home.
Hundreds of people like Reena Powell, also featured in the documentary, have been stuck living in hotels.
“I feel like I’m living in a trap,” Powell said.
Powell is also seeing some progress. Her Mar-Mac home in Wayne County damaged by Hurricane Florence in 2018 has been demolished.
“Now they tore the house down,” Powell said. “Well, at least I have some hope that they're going to do something now.”
The latest numbers from ReBulid NC show 972 homes out of 4,324 are done, which is about 22.48%.
Funding to rebuild the homes damaged in Hurricane Matthew is due to run out in 2025.
“I’ve been disappointed. I’ve been frustrated, but me being disappointed and frustrated doesn’t fix the problem,” said state Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne County. “[It] doesn’t help these people.”
Bell toured some of the homes waiting on ReBuild NC. He’s tried to get help for Figueroa and others in his district waiting for help. Bell is on a 12-member committee tasked with investigating what went wrong with the program.
Laura Hogshead, the person in charge of ReBuild NC, has faced tough questions and criticism from lawmakers at two legislative hearings. The most recent hearing was in December.
“You failed as a director,” said state Sen. Danny Britt, R-Robeson County. “You should resign from your position, but if you were in the private sector, you would’ve been fired a long time ago.”
Hogshead still serves as the director of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency.
“I’ve been on the phone twice with Ms. Hogshead about addressing issues, issues that we’re finding along the way,” Bell said.
In January, a month after the “Aftermath” documentary aired, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Richard Trumper as a senior advisor role within ReBuild NC.
Trumper came from the Office of State Budget and Management, where he oversaw disaster recovery.
Bell said it’s too early to tell if Trumper will help the failing program.
“We’re going to find out,” Bell said. “I hope it’s not another layer of bureaucracy we’re dealing with … because I think the less bureaucracy in this situation, the better, but we’re going to find out.”
Figueroa shared her opinion about Hogshead’s future.
“I still believe that Laura Hogshead needs to step down,” Figueroa said. “[While it’s] true, they are getting us off the books a little quicker, but it's six years too long.”
ReBuild NC provided WRAL News with a statement about the agency’s progress.
“Bringing Richard Trumper on board as senior advisor has increased the scope of experience and expertise leading our disaster recovery programs,” the statement reads in part. “This hands-on approach will expand in the weeks and months ahead to ensure ReBuild NC continues to increase its rate of home completions, while also providing support to families in the program.”
There is another legislative hearing scheduled in March.
