Housing is Health
Housing Can’t Wait when it affects the health and wellbeing of families impacted by flooding. Frontier Housing knows the importance of seemingly small repairs that make a big difference in the lives of families across Eastern Kentucky.
Benetta “Nikki” is a mother of 5 children, and a full-time college student, living in Magoffin County, Kentucky. The six years that she and her family lived at their current home—the creek that runs behind their home never flooded—until July 2022. Benetta recounts the following events when her family left the home to stay with her mother:
“When we came back the next day that’s when we noticed [the] water everywhere [was] still up. But being country folks we stayed [and] went through it with a truck, because everyone else was.
“Well, we got to our house and [were] just devastated. We saw water had got in and we really didn’t know what to do. We thrown down some towels and did some praying, and took some pics, and started cleaning up. We applied for FEMA and they came out. We had an inspector come out, and he said he thinks the water also shifted my home because water only stayed in one area of the house, which was the lower right end, which was my 2 [boys’] room. It also destroyed [the] roof some.
“Well, after [the] FEMA application and them coming out, and me getting a contractor to come out, I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d get turned down. But I did. So I appealed and got turned down once again. It felt like a never ending battle that I just wasn’t meant to win, as mold continues to grow still, and with a 3 year old with severe asthma. We [were] told by FEMA that the reason we got denied was because we stayed at our home, and didn’t leave it after flooding happen - even though I didn’t have anywhere to go live with 5 kids, for months and months, and them in school, so I stayed in my home and risked it. Little did I know that staying there would be [the] only thing that would stop [us] from getting help from FEMA. But thank the Lord, [He] heard all of my prayers, because Frontier Housing came in and they’re going to fix some things up, that the flood caused.
“Now, there’s things I’ll never be able get back: a mattress that my kids slept on, some of their school clothes and shoes. But at least I know help is coming. Since July 26th my 3 year old has been hospitalized 2 times due to asthma, and now my 1 1/2 year old was just hospitalized last month and they diagnosed her with asthma.
“Now, I know in my heart it’s the mold causing it from the flood, so I just pray that everything is able to get fixed, so my kids are healthy. But of course, we are always going have that fear. When rain came [the] other day, I was immediately out cleaning ditch lines to prevent the road and yard from [getting] flooded. I fell and got soaked at least 10 times. But I can’t go through another flood, the aftermath of one is so heart breaking!”
Benetta’s story echoes similar voices in the region: families living in the homes that were flooded have caused severe health issues due to mold and decay. At least for Benetta, funding was finally secured to repair her home that was damaged. Before the repairs started, the family was blocking off the sons’ room with a blanket in the doorway to keep out the smell of mold. Frontier received assistance from the Foundation of Appalachian Kentucky in the amount of $53,300 to repair the entire bedroom. The damaged paneling in the bedroom was removed, rotten insulation and the window was removed, in addition to the flooring and subflooring that was ruined from the flood water, and everything was replaced with all new material.
While Frontier has not followed the aftermath of the health impacts for Benetta and her children, it is likely that the family is living in their home with improved air quality, reduced risk of asthma triggers, and was able to preserve the home for the family for many years to come.
