1A What The Future Holds For FEMA In North Carolina
Mar 18, 2026
Gerard Albert, a rural communities reporter covering Hurricane Helene recovery. Brianna Sachs, a disaster correspondent tracking FEMA and federal disaster funding. Barry Scanlon, a former FEMA senior advisor with crisis management experience. They discuss stalled federal funding in North Carolina, disputed allocations and buyouts, DHS policy changes and layoffs, and proposals to speed reimbursements and reshape FEMA's role.
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People Still Living In Trailers After Helene
- In Western North Carolina hundreds still live in RVs and trailers waiting on home repairs a year and a half after Hurricane Helene.
- Gerard Albert III reports local governments also await millions in FEMA reimbursements for debris clearing and emergency staffing.
$100,000 Approval Rule Created Major Backlogs
- A new DHS policy required approval for contracts $100,000 or more, creating major backlogs across FEMA-funded projects.
- Brianna Sachs reports internal FEMA staff called the rule chaotic and responsible for months-long delays in state reimbursements.
Reimbursement Model Undermines Local Planning
- FEMA is primarily a reimbursement agency with a 75/25 cost share, but the unpredictable timing of federal responses prevents local planning.
- Barry Scanlon explains states get 30 days to answer FEMA questions yet wait months for replies, crippling budgets.