The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has rejected Asheville, North Carolina’s draft plan for Hurricane Helene disaster relief due to its inclusion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) criteria. HUD Secretary Scott Turner emphasized that the department will not approve plans prioritizing assistance based on such criteria, aligning with President Trump’s executive orders eliminating DEI initiatives in federal programs.
In January, HUD allocated $225 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to Asheville to address unmet needs following Hurricane Helene. The city’s draft action plan proposed prioritizing assistance for Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MWBE) within its Small Business Support Program. This approach was intended to support vulnerable populations affected by the hurricane.
Upon reviewing the draft, HUD informed Asheville that incorporating DEI criteria to prioritize some residents over others was unacceptable. Secretary Turner stated, “DEI is dead at HUD. We will not provide funding to any program or grantee that does not comply with President Trump’s executive orders.” He further noted that after HUD’s feedback, the city assured the department it would update its action plan to be compliant.
Asheville’s draft plan outlined allocations for various recovery initiatives, including $130 million for infrastructure, $30 million for commercial district revitalization, $26 million for multi-family affordable housing construction, and $15 million for small business support. The city is revising its plan to align with federal guidelines and remains in communication with HUD to ensure compliance.
This development underscores the administration’s stance on DEI initiatives within federal programs and highlights the importance of adherence to current executive orders when formulating disaster relief plans.
