Appeals

SENT VIA EMAIL

William Ray

Director

North Carolina Emergency Management

4236 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4236

Will.ray@ncdps.gov

Adrian Lowery

Executive Director

Housing Authority of the City of Lumberton

407 North Sycamore Street

Lumberton, North Carolina 28358

execdir@hacl014.com

SENT VIA EMAIL ONLY

Dear William Ray and Adrian Lowery:

This is in response to a letter from North Carolina Emergency Management’s (Recipient) office dated January 25, 2023, which transmitted the referenced second appeal on behalf of the Housing Authority for the City of Lumberton (Applicant). The Applicant is appealing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of $940,953.00 in costs pertaining to the repair of Mohr Plaza (Facility).

Section 423(a) of the Stafford Act provides that any decision regarding eligibility for assistance may be appealed within 60 days after the date on which the applicant is notified of the award or denial of assistance. Implementing this provision, Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 206.206(c) (2017), requires that applicants must file appeals within 60 days after receipt of a notice of the action that is being appealed. Recipients must then review and forward appeals within 60 days after receipt of the appeal from the applicant.

According to the Administrative Record, the Applicant received notice of the claimed work being ineligible by way of a Determination Memorandum on June 23, 2020 and filed its first appeal on August 19, 2020. However, the Recipient did not transmit the appeal until September 14, 2022. This was after the 60 calendar-day timeframe required by FEMA’s regulations, making the first appeal untimely. Therefore, this appeal is denied.

This determination is the final decision on this matter pursuant to 44 C.F.R. § 206.206, Appeals.

                                                                                              Sincerely,

                                                                                                  /S/

                                                                                              Tod Wells

                                                                                              Deputy Director for Policy

                                                                                              Public Assistance Division

cc:  Gracia Szczech

Regional Administrator

FEMA Region 4