FLOYD, Va. – During the pandemic, a nonprofit struggled to fix dozens of homes for families in Floyd County, but a partnership is making a dent in the county’s housing crisis.
Water-damaged roofs along with unsealed doors and windows are common problems that the Floyd Initiative for Safe Housing (FISH) organization tends to fix.
Last spring, the nonprofit had a list of 32 home repair projects, but those efforts were put on hold when the coronavirus pandemic arrived, according to Floyd Initiative for Safe Housing Co-Founder Susan Icove.
“We had a backlog of folks that had been in contact with us reached out to us,” she said. “But we couldn’t go in anyone’s home.”
Not long after, Habitat for Humanity New River Valley was in between projects and offered their assistance. Together, the two organizations were able to complete 13 projects and refer the rest to other local agencies.
“We helped so many people, so quick, that we are now moving on,” Icove said. “We are starting to get new clients again and we are looking at new jobs.”
According to a 2021 New River Valley housing study, Floyd County has the highest percentage of mobile homes in the region at 18%.
The study also found that nearly 2,000 mobile homes in the area were built before 1976 and should be replaced for safety reasons.
To keep the momentum going, Habitat for Humanity NRV plans to create seven townhomes with four of them ADA accessible.
Habitat for Humanity NRV Resource Development Director Kim Snider said the organization wants “to create an opportunity for seven families who earn between 30% and 80% of median income to reap the benefits of homeownership.”
The homes will cost anywhere between $135,000 to $145,000 and will be modeled after a housing project on Church Street in Blacksburg. The $1.4 million project will begin in August.
If you want to volunteer, you can reach out by email at safehousingfloyd@gmail.com or through the FISH Facebook Page.