Lawmakers want answers in disaster recovery delays

May 23--charleston -- Lawmakers hope to hear answers on why there has been a delay in implementing aid under the Rise West Virginia Disaster Recovery Program.

Back in August, Gov. Jim Justice and Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher announced the implementation of the Rise West Virginia Disaster Recovery Program.

The program had funds available to repair or reconstruct single-family housing and single-family rental properties damaged in the June 2016 flood. The state previously announced it received a $104 million Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment for the project. Thrasher previously said the grant would be used to build 1,500 homes in the 12 affected counties, as well as elevate other houses above the floodplain and pay for a year of flood insurance for qualifying property owners, according to previous reports.

The governor's office and the Department of Commerce did not immediately return messages Tuesday.

The subject has come up in media reports including WCHS, who interviewed disaster victims who discussed problems they've had putting their lives together and questioned where the aid is. An analyst for the flood committee cited these reports saying this would be a topic of study during future interim meetings. The goal, he said, is to hear from Commerce and Rise officials to find out more.

Lawmakers in Tuesday's Joint Legislative Committee on Flooding mentioned concerns in their districts and said they hoped to have answers soon. Sen. Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, said some of his constituents still aren't in homes.

"My understanding is they have done environmental reviews and site prep," Baldwin said of the program. "As I understand, federal regulations are stiff but it's been eight to nine months now and all that has happened is these environmental reviews for I believe, upward to 600 clients. Hopes for these people of getting into housing quickly are gone."

"Are they going to get into housing through Rise? They say yes but it will take time," Baldwin continued. "But it's been two years and it's been one year since Rise began. They have temporary housing like mobile units they may have put folks in."

Baldwin said there are two couples he knows are living at a Greenbrier County church, who are Rise clients. He said he also knows of residents living in campers.

"They want to be able to move on," he said. "And this particular church, there is another couple staying there and they feel like they've been in this church for too long. They want to offer it to someone else."

Baldwin says he hopes to hear from the Department of Commerce about a timeline moving forward.

"I've been asking questions of Rise for three-to-four weeks now and I can't get any info," Baldwin said.

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