By Mark Green

Kentucky Habitat for Humanity is developing a plan to replace hundreds of the more than 2,000 homes destroyed or badly damaged when massive tornadoes traveled hundreds of miles across the Commonwealth on December 10 and 11, killing at least 77 people, most at the western end of the Commonwealth. .

The effort is called Home Safe Home Kentucky and helps coordinate millions of dollars in financial and in-kind relief. KyHFH has 33 chapters statewide, including 13 in Western Kentucky.
The late-season tornado outbreak destroyed downtown Mayfield in unprecedented fashion: 23 Kentuckians lost their lives in hardest-hit Graves County, where 513 homes were destroyed and 230 suffered significant damage. Another 17 died in Hopkins County, where Dawson Spring suffered heavy damage – 385 homes demolished and 152 with significant damage. Muhlenberg County lost 11 residents as 79 homes were destroyed and 29 sustained major damage. Warren County and Bowling Green suffered 16 deaths, 153 homes were destroyed and 172 suffered major damage.

The non-profit organization has a long history of helping improve lives and respond to disasters. Habitat volunteers were there to help after tornadoes hit West Liberty and Frenchburg, Kentucky, ten years ago and after Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana in 2005. After a tsunami hit India in 2004, volunteers from Kentucky traveled to help rebuild a village of 171 homes.

KyHFH has set a goal to have 20 new homes completed and 50% of critical repairs completed by December 2022. By December 2023, the goal is 50 new homes with the Pennyrile HFH and 30 new homes with Bowling Green/Warren County HFH.

Part of the plan is a BG Build Strong home building blitz in the Bowling Green area scheduled for July 23-30 to build 10 two-story townhouses with three or four bedrooms in a location known as Durbin Estates . HFH Bowling Green/Warren County acquired 14 acres in the Durbin development in 2006.

HFH estimates that each of these townhouses will cost $120,000 beyond the value of the property. Many organizations, businesses and entities have donated to the Kentucky Home Replacement Project.

James Hardie Building Supplies is supplying its fiber cement cladding for 50 homes. The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce pledged $250,000. Whirlpool Corp. pledged $15,000 in appliances. Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture will provide services. Bright Springs Health Services promised to help. An individual in Hawaii provided $10,000.

It is a great challenge to assess the needs and determine the families who have little choice and the will to work with Habitat. And then administer and coordinate the necessary and generous resources of individuals, companies and organizations that want to provide.

Kentucky Habitat officials see a need for $27 million in cash, materials and services to build 100 completely new homes and make essential repairs to 300 others. Long-term recovery will take years. They estimate that $12 million in cash contributions will be needed to meet the current plan’s targets.

KyHFH has a disaster response veteran overseeing the massive project of Sara Coppler, the disaster response manager. A graduate of Operation Gray Construction, she has experience responding to disasters in Iraq, Afghanistan, Ecuador and Indian Ocean communities destroyed by a massive tsunami a decade ago.

Although Kentucky Habitat officials have received many donations and pledges of financial, material, and service support, much more needs to be done. Interested individuals, businesses, organizations, nonprofits, and agencies can seek out the following contact information to connect and help meet the housing needs of displaced Kentuckians affected by the December tornado outbreak:
• Volunteer opportunities: email [email protected]
• Information on long-term recovery, how to donate money and products: (502) 230-0657.
• To make donations to help with long-term recovery: kyhabitat.org.

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