Coastal Carolina Disaster Resiliency Agency says 200+ Craven County homes still need repairs, outlines volunteer and preparedness plans

Christie Kolberg, executive director of the newly formed Coastal Carolina Disaster Resiliency Agency, told the Craven County Board of Commissioners on March 17 that the nonprofit — formerly the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance — has completed 920 cases but still has more than 200 homes awaiting repair.

Kolberg said the organization, which had been run under a United Way fiscal agent for eight years, formally transitioned to its own nonprofit. “We will be continuing the work of CCDRA on our own, which includes, repairing what we now know is more than 200 homes that are still impacted,” Kolberg said.

The agency said it currently has 27 work sites open and another 20 approved and waiting to open as current projects close. Kolberg said the group performs its own construction work and does not contract out to subcontractors; that approach, she said, has allowed the program to continue where other organizations would have shut down. She said about 30 teams of out-of-town volunteers are scheduled to come to Craven County this year and that volunteer labor contributed about 19,000 hours last year.

Kolberg described outreach and preparedness plans to reach residents who may not know recovery work is still underway after Hurricane Florence: a Lowe’s Expo on May 10 to connect residents with partners and services, and a seminar-style expo on June 27 with keynote speakers addressing insurance, flood zones, evacuation and preparing churches and businesses.

The agency named several neighborhoods where work is concentrated, saying its heaviest-hit communities include Vance Brook, Pembroke, Harlow, Duffy Field, Five Points and Sunnyside. Kolberg said the agency is emphasizing resiliency upgrades to reduce future storm damage as it continues recovery work.

Commissioners thanked Kolberg and other volunteers; one commissioner noted it is “hard to believe” that work continues nearly seven years after Florence and said volunteer groups such as Baptist on Mission have been critical to ongoing repairs.

Why it matters: The county’s recovery group reports ongoing demand for repairs long after the storm and is positioning itself as a permanent local nonprofit to continue long-term recovery and resiliency work. Continued volunteer support and county cooperation remain central to getting homes repaired.

Ending: Kolberg asked commissioners to invite CCDRA to conduct preparedness seminars in communities and to publicize the upcoming expos. She thanked the board for the county’s support since 2019.