RALEIGH — Governor Josh Stein issued his first executive orders as governor on Jan. 2, taking action to help victims of Hurricane Helene.
“Winter is here in western North Carolina, and we must act quickly to get people in temporary housing, repair private roads and bridges, and keep people safe,” Stein said in a press release. “I will do everything in my power to make sure we are both thinking creatively and acting swiftly to help our neighbors recover.”
Stein issued five orders, two of which directly address storm relief and received concurrence from the Council of State. The first order increases the supply of temporary housing in the hurricane impacted areas and the second order speeds up the state’s repair and replacement of some 8,000 private roads and bridges. Both of the orders have an expiration date of Feb. 28.
State Auditor Dave Boliek issued a letter to Stein about the first two orders, citing “minor modifications” Boliek’s office discussed with Stein’s team and that the auditor’s office intends “to hold your office accountable.”
Boliek’s letter goes on to say his office will “account for every dollar that is spent” on the first two orders and includes specific questions such as where the money will come from to buy the “1,000 Transportable Temporary Housing Units,” as well as how much those units will cost and how they will be deployed.
“Given past failures to effectively provide hurricane relief to Eastern North Carolina, it is in the best interest of Hurricane Helene victims that our office takes such action,” Boliek wrote. “I look forward to collaborating with you, and the other Council of State members, in the future as we work toward a recovery effort that leaves no family behind.”
The newly inaugurated governor also issued three other orders related to Helene recovery.
Order number three establishes a new entity, the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) that will reside within the Governor’s Office to coordinate cross-agency recovery efforts. The order also creates a new Division of Community Revitalization within the Department of Commerce. Stein appears to be bypassing former Governor Roy Cooper’s NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) with the creation of NC GROW. NCORR has been the subject of multiple heated legislative hearings due to the agency’s slow responses to Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.
Order number four creates a Governor’s Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery, which will have up to 35 governor-appointed members representing the geographic, professional, and demographic diversity of the western half of the state. Members will serve one-year terms and the meetings held are subject to open meeting laws. The purpose for the committee is described as advising on housing, small business relief, infrastructure repair, and funding recommendations. The expiration date for the Committee is Dec. 31, 2026, unless the order is rescinded ahead of that date.
Order number five extends paid Community Service Leave policies for state employees by 16 hours for 2025 for those wishing to volunteer their time to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The use of the leave requires supervisor approval and must be part of organized efforts by a municipality or nonprofit.
Stein’s first executive orders can be viewed below:
- Executive Order No. 1 Increasing Temporary Housing Supply in Western NC
- Executive Order No. 2 Repairing Roads and Bridges
- Executive Order No. 3 Reorganizing Executive Branch to Meet Needs of Western NC
- Executive Order No. 4 Establishing Advisory Committee on Western NC Recovery
- Executive Order No. 5 OSHR Exceptions – Helene Relief
