ICYMI: As federal staffing cuts loom for HUD, $1.4 billion in funding for WNC could be delayed

Raleigh, N.C. —  The ongoing recovery in Western North Carolina faces uncertainty as the Trump Administration cuts $1.4 Billion from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which plays a large role in helping people rebuild their homes and lives after devastating natural disasters. North Carolina Representatives Alma Adams, Valerie Foushee, and Deborah Ross penned a letter to the Administration urging President Trump to reconsider the cuts. In recent reporting, Jacob Biba at the Asheville Citizen-Times details how catastrophic these cuts could be to families rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Helene: 

“On the heels of Gov. Josh Stein announcing the opening of a 30-day public comment period to finalize a $1.4 billion Tropical Storm Helene recovery plan for Western North Carolina, the Trump administration is expected to gut the department that will manage the disbursement of the plan’s federal funding, according to reporting from the New York Times.

The Trump administration had already planned on making significant staffing cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which administers federal aid for housing and community development, including funding for disaster recovery projects. But a reported 84% staffing cut within the agency’s office of community planning and development would drastically reduce the department’s workforce, which could delay delivery of disaster recovery funds set aside for the region. According to the New York Times, the number of department staff would be slashed to 150, down from 936.”

You can read the full article in the Asheville Citizen-Times here. 

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