State Auditor Dave Boliek Released Hurricane Helene “One-Year Review” Report
Today, The North Carolina Office of State Auditor (OSA) released a One-Year Review report of Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The report includes data on road repairs, housing, aid to local government, and overall funding.
“It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene dealt absolute devastation to Western North Carolina. Lives were lost, homes and businesses destroyed, and the way of life changed forever. Recovery is long and tests all of those involved, said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “At the State Auditor’s Office, we have focused on monitoring dollars spent to ensure there is full transparency in where disaster recovery funds are going. Our job is not to get in the way but to monitor progress. To that end, we’re glad to highlight some milestones.”
Bolike continued, ““Over 1,400 roads closed immediately after the storm, and since then, 97% of state-maintained roads have reopened. Nonprofit organizations, including Baptists on Mission, Appalachia Service Project, Samaritan’s Purse, and Habitat for Humanity, have built over 550 permanent and temporary homes for hurricane victims. The legislature passed, and the governor signed, legislation including over $2.1 billion in funding for Hurricane Helene relief.”
“Though we have come far in one year, there remains work to be done. Despite some truly positive stories, many families are still struggling to get their lives back to a sense of normalcy. While certain state agencies have spent most of their Hurricane Helene relief funding, hundreds of millions of recovery dollars remain unspent,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “The effort to recover after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence has been frustrating to Eastern North Carolina citizens. Our office is taking a deep dive into what went wrong with a comprehensive audit of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency. Western North Carolina cannot afford to face a similar outcome. The State Auditor’s Office will continue to uphold our role in providing oversight, analysis, and evaluation of Hurricane Helene recovery in North Carolina.”
