North Carolina Session Law 2018-136 (2018): Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Act

North Carolina’s Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Act, enacted October 16, 2018 through Session Law 2018-136, creates the Office of Recovery and Resiliency and establishes the Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Reserve in the State General Fund, outlining procedures for the transfer, allocation, and expenditure of funds. The funds are designated for use in counties declared federal disaster areas and are subject to reimbursement if recipients secure alternative funding sources such as insurance or federal aid. 

The Act establishes the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency within the Department of Public Safety and tasks it with overseeing long-term recovery and resiliency initiatives related to Hurricane Florence. The Office is authorized to execute multi-year recovery projects, manage Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds, and provide centralized coordination for disaster response activities. The Office is also directed to establish a recovery assistance grant program for financially distressed local governments, as well as a one-time emergency fund for local governments needing immediate cash flow. The Act also sets quarterly and annual reporting requirements on disaster spending and outcomes by the Office. 

The Act also mandates behavioral health funding for affected regions, expands housing assistance eligibility to families earning up to 100% of area median income, and requires audits and reporting on the use of recovery funds. It directs the state’s Coastal Resources Commission to temporarily revise permitting rules for living shorelines to align with federal standards set by the Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, the Act prohibits the use of funds to construct homes in flood-prone areas unless specific conditions are met and allows the state to reclaim money for property acquired through hazard mitigation programs.

Additionally, the Act implements agricultural relief through the Hurricane Florence Agricultural Disaster Program of 2018, supporting farmers with verifiable crop, livestock, or poultry losses. The Act finds that Hurricane Florence caused extensive damage to the state’s farmers and agricultural industry. As a session law, this act is not codified in North Carolina’s General Statutes.

Publication Date: October 16, 2018

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