The state of Florida is getting ready to receive more than $2.7 billion in federal disaster recovery funding following two devastating hurricane seasons. Somehow, one Mississippi-based firm with a checkered past is again positioning itself to benefit, despite a clear pattern of mismanagement, inflated billing, and scrutiny across multiple states.
Horne LLP, a firm with deep ties to disaster recovery efforts across the Southeast, has emerged as a frequent and controversial player in federally funded emergency programs. While the company continues to secure lucrative contracts, critics argue that its track record should raise serious red flags as Florida’s hardest-hit counties prepare to distribute historic sums under the federal Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
The funds are earmarked for Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, and Manatee counties and the City of St. Petersburg to rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and support long-term recovery in low-income and underserved communities. The dollar amounts are substantial: Hillsborough County alone is expected to receive more than $709 million.
However, watchdogs and local leaders warn that Florida may be setting itself up for failure if it partners with the same firm that has been the focal point of lawsuits, audits, and bipartisan criticism in at least four other states.
In West Virginia last year, Horne LLP resolved a Justice Department investigation by agreeing to pay a $1.2 million settlement following allegations it submitted fraudulent invoices under a federal disaster recovery program. Investigators found that Horne submitted repair estimates for homes that didn’t exist and charged $950 each for “consultations” that were often nothing more than brief phone calls, sometimes with no actual homeowner on the line. A lead federal investigator said Horne’s alleged actions “undermine the mission of HUD’s disaster recovery efforts and take critical resources away from those who need them the most.”
In North Carolina, Horne’s handling of the state’s ReBuild NC program led to widespread public outcry and documented breakdowns in communication. A 2022 letter from Legal Aid of North Carolina detailed “chronic delays” and “confusing, contradictory information” that left families displaced for years. The state declined to renew Horne’s contract, only to award it a new $81.5 million deal just months later for recovery from Hurricane Helene, sparking further outrage due to a perceived conflict of interest involving a former Horne executive. A state representative from the hardest-hit area of North Carolina was quoted as saying, “It would appear the executive branch has not learned from the massive failures of (ReBuild NC).”
In Louisiana, Horne was referred to federal investigators after employees were found to have received COVID-19 relief payments from funds they were hired to manage.
Meanwhile, in Alabama, the firm’s delays in distributing emergency rental assistance were so severe that the state had to return $42 million in unspent federal funds to the U.S. Treasury.
Despite these scandals, Horne continues to operate in Florida through multiple state contracts and consulting engagements. Public records show that the firm and its construction arm have maintained active agreements for disaster recovery work even as their performance elsewhere comes under fire.
With billions of dollars now set to flow into Florida communities still reeling from last year’s storms, critics are urging officials to demand stronger oversight, enforce competitive bidding, and scrutinize contractors’ past performance before disbursing funds – before history repeats itself, as it apparently did in North Carolina.
“It would appear the executive branch has not learned from the massive failures of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency,” North Carolina State Representative Mark Pless was quoted as saying. “I can assure the victims of Helene I will not sit idle watching the same mistakes being repeated.”
The stakes are particularly high in working-class and low-income neighborhoods where rebuilding efforts are often slowest and oversight weakest.
Horne LLP has defended its performance, stating that each recovery program poses unique challenges and emphasizing its experience in navigating complex federal funding streams. The firm touts past successes and insists it has learned from prior setbacks.
But for many Floridians, those reassurances are likely to ring hollow. With billions at risk and recovery efforts hanging in the balance, state and local leaders now face a crucial decision: whether to repeat the mistakes of other states or chart a new course rooted in transparency, accountability, and trust.
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