“Officials host groundbreaking for homes on higher ground”

WYMT

LETCHER COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - Letcher County officials gathered to celebrate a new neighborhood bringing homes to flood-impacted families.

Crews are breaking ground on a new project with plans of building ‘The Cottages at Thompson Branch.’ That includes eight new homes in different phases of construction.

Officials said the groundbreaking is another step forward in the mission of flood recovery.

“We were thinking about, OK, how do we go forward from the flood? How can we have impact, do things differently than we ever did before? What can we do?” said Homes Inc. Executive Director Seth Long. “So, we started dreaming. We started making plans, and, today, kind of unveiled some of those plans.”

Long added the homes will be using solar energy to help families see decreased utility costs.

FAHE CEO Jim King said the project is almost like a pilot program for what officials hope to be more projects.

“It’s signals a lot of hope. Like, the plan we laid, the vision the governor had, it all is actually happening, and that just creates momentum,” said Jim King.

The community is located near Whitesburg.