‘It’s gonna be great’: Flood survivor gets the keys to her new home

BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - One flood survivor is moving from her trailer to a new home out of the flood zone.

On Tuesday, community members gathered to celebrate Velma McIntosh, 70, who was given a new home in Breathitt County.

It is a part of the ‘Housing Can’t Wait’ initiative created by organizations such as the Housing Development Alliance and FAHE.

HDA Executive Director Scott McReynolds said more projects are being completed across the region.

“We have about 10 to 12 flood houses that are under construction in addition to our normal work. We’ll continue to do that,” he said. “So, we’re just going to keep plugging away, we’re going to do our part and I know everyone else is going to do their part. We’re going to get people back into houses as soon as we can.”

McReynolds said this could not be possible without those organizations helping and every donor or volunteer that has given anything along the way.

As for McIntosh, she has stayed with family members and has been in a trailer since the fall

“I moved from one place to another one and neither one I felt welcome but it was a place to stay until I can get a place to stay. But when I did get a trailer, I was absolutely thrilled,” she said.

After moving into the trailer, she fell and broke her knee, but that has not stopped her.

Now that she has a home in the same area that she lived before, she said she is happy to be out of the flood zone.

“It’s gonna be great, it is. I know that I don’t have to worry about the water anymore, got me a home out of the flood zone, that’s all I want,” she explained.

Her journey has been difficult, but now, she said she is taking it day by day.

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