Pryor Gibson, interim director of ReBuild NC, testifies in front of North Carolina lawmakers on the state of the hurricane homebuilding program on Jan. 30, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)
North Carolina’s hurricane homebuilding program is asking lawmakers for more than $200 million in new funding — a major new request by an embattled agency seeking to climb out of a massive deficit and finish decade-long work.
The head of the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency (or ReBuild NC) outlined the request and the status of its projects during testimony Thursday — part of a series of hearings as the General Assembly continues to scrutinize the response to Hurricanes Matthew and Florence in North Carolina.
ReBuild NC is asking them for $217 million in new funds, three months after leaders revealed that the agency had run up a deficit of more than $221 million.
If the agency receives the money needed, interim director Pryor Gibson said, they could finally complete the promised houses within a year. But lawmakers couldn’t afford to wait, he said — or continue allocating money by increments.
“We desperately need a dependable source,” Gibson said. “Whatever amount it is, we’re hoping enough to finish.”
If the General Assembly fails to appropriate the additional money, Gibson warned that contractors would pick up and leave.
The latest ask signals that the office, which was created under former Gov. Roy Cooper, intends to continue operating — at least for now — under Gov. Josh Stein’s administration.
It paused construction and payments to contractors in December, with lawmakers only appropriating money through February.
The longtime director, Laura Hogshead, departed the office in November; Gibson, a former state lawmaker and close advisor to former Gov. Roy Cooper, has taken charge in the interim.
Other top staff have also begun to leave, Gibson said Thursday — “probably half” of “key management” in the past month. The office has held three reorganization meetings in recent weeks.
The pair of Republicans chairing the committee Thursday were frank in their frustration over the agency. One of them called it “one of the biggest shams on the North Carolina taxpayers.”
“I hope today that we’re done with excuses,” said Rep. Brendan Jones (R-Columbus). “No more delays. No more fake estimates. No more NCORR kicking the can down the road. We expect real answers, and we’re going to get to the point.”
In November, the office’s former director estimated that an additional $264 million would be enough to finish all of its projects under a “worst case scenario.”
Lawmakers, since learning of the agency’s deficit, have allocated $80 million. ReBuild NC’s new ask of $217 million would bring the total to almost $300 million.
Gibson pointed to a recent uptick in completed homes, arguing that the office had stabilized its workflow and was capable of finally finishing its work.
“Can we maintain that pace in 2025?” Gibson said. “We can’t. But what this clearly shows is that we have the infrastructure and processes in place to finish.”
Around 1,150 total homes remain unfinished, Gibson said. That includes 640 that have been allocated money and are in construction; the remaining 540 are in the queue to begin, but have not been issued the go-ahead to start construction.
NC Newsline and Inside Climate News reported in October of 2024 on NCORR’s many failures and longstanding struggles.
Will NCORR be involved in Helene?
Gov. Stein has formed a new office that is spearheading Helene recovery efforts in western North Carolina.
Top officials from that team — GROW NC — testified before lawmakers Wednesday. They warned that federal money to build housing in the mountains could be delayed for months.
It’s not yet clear what role NCORR would play, if any, in recovery from Hurricane Helene. Inside Climate News reported this week that the office is involved in recovery, according to public records. But lawmakers have been clear that they expect a better process for western North Carolina.
“I can assure you, if we have to have committee meetings like this six to eight years ago, (western North Carolina) would have already seceded from the state and we would have solved our problems ourselves,” said Sen. Timothy Moffitt (R-Henderson).