As many wait in damaged homes, NC hurricane relief program under fire

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina hurricane relief program is under fire for its lack of progress, according to WTVD.

State lawmakers are asking why ReBuild NC is not doing more to help homeowners hit hardest by hurricanes get back into their homes. The program’s leader said 100 families have moved into newly completed homes or accepted cash buyouts. But there are 3,000 people in the program living in hurricane-damaged homes waiting for work to start.

According to WTVD, over the last year, thousands of homeowners in the program waited for months, some even more than a year, for progress.

“There has got to be improvement made in this program immediately, or I’m going to use what power I have to redirect the funds to someone that can get the job done,” North Carolina Senator Brent Jackson said.

A spoksperson for Legal Aid of North Carolina, who represents several ReBuild participants, said while improvements have been made working with ReBuild, it’s still a struggle, WTVD reported.

“We find it at times to be a frustrating relationship and we can’t get the progress we want for our clients,” Lesley Wiseman Albritton said.

Another hearing to discuss the latest developments is scheduled for March.

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