HUD Secretary Halts Asheville Hurricane Relief Plan Citing DEI Concerns
A draft hurricane relief plan submitted by the city of Asheville, North Carolina, has been rejected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Secretary Scott Turner, due to the inclusion of a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative that HUD deemed would prioritize certain residents over others. Turner’s office emphasized that such prioritization runs counter to the agency’s commitment to equitable distribution of resources.
"Once again, let me be clear, DEI is dead at HUD," Turner asserted, signaling a decisive departure from previous policies. He affirmed the agency’s commitment to complying with President Trump’s executive orders, which prioritize merit-based opportunity and prohibit discriminatory practices.
"We will not provide funding to any program or grantee that does not comply with President Trump’s executive orders," Turner stated, underscoring the administration’s stance against DEI initiatives within federal agencies.
While expressing HUD’s eagerness to assist North Carolinians in rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, Turner clarified that Asheville’s draft action plan, with its DEI criteria, was deemed "unacceptable." Following HUD’s notification of disapproval, the city reportedly assured the agency that it was revising the plan to align with federal guidelines.
Asheville, recognized as a Democratic stronghold within North Carolina, had posted its draft plan on March 4, detailing the distribution of millions of dollars allocated for Hurricane Helene disaster relief. A section of the plan specifically addressed DEI considerations.
In January, HUD allocated $225 million in a Community Development Block Grant in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state in September 2024. The storm caused widespread devastation, particularly in the western Appalachian region, with severe flooding, high winds, power outages, and community destruction. The storm resulted in at least 106 fatalities in North Carolina.
The city’s draft plan, under the heading "How Programs Will Support Vulnerable Populations," outlined the prioritization of minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) for assistance. The draft plan stated, "Within the Small Business Support Program, the City will prioritize assistance for Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MWBE) within the scoring criteria outlined within the policies and procedures."
HUD was alerted to the inclusion of this language and initiated an investigation, subsequently taking action against the plan.
HUD cited President Trump’s executive orders, signed on his first day in office, which focused on ending "radical and wasteful government DEI programs" and restoring merit-based opportunity while prohibiting "illegal discrimination." These orders effectively ended DEI practices at the federal level, promoting merit-based systems instead.
"At HUD, we are taking a detailed and deliberate approach in every aspect of our work to ensure we are serving all communities regardless of race, color, or creed," Turner stated, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to equitable service delivery. "Let this send a clear message that no detail will go unnoticed, adherence to President Trump’s Executive Orders is mandatory. We appreciate that Asheville has reversed course and is now working with us to get this right."
Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer acknowledged the city’s collaboration with HUD to meet evolving compliance requirements. "We are working closely with HUD as we continue to navigate the changing compliance requirements of the new administration," she stated. "We are grateful for the administration’s support in our recovery efforts."
Manheimer affirmed the city’s commitment to adhering to current federal standards to secure critical funding for hurricane recovery. "The City will ensure it meets current federal standards in order to facilitate approval of critically needed funding to help the city recover from the devastation of Tropical Storm Helene," she stated.
An updated draft plan, released by the city on Monday, no longer included the section prioritizing minority- and women-owned businesses.
This decision follows previous actions taken by Turner to eliminate DEI initiatives within HUD. In February, Turner announced the cancellation of $4 million in DEI contracts, a move spurred by the agency’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force. The task force had previously uncovered $260 million in DEI-related spending.
The DEI contracts encompassed "culture transformation" efforts, including "outward mindset training" aimed at fostering inclusivity and prioritizing the needs of others, as well as diversity and inclusion research subscription services.
"It is inexcusable the American taxpayer was footing the bill for the promotion of DEI propaganda," Turner stated at the time. "Not only was this costing millions of taxpayer dollars, but it was also wasting valuable time that should have been used to better serve individuals and families in rural, tribal and urban communities. DEI is dead at HUD."
