ST. PAULS — MaDolores Robles-Galvan had some high-level company on Monday as she toured her new home that is under construction on West Pate Street in St. Pauls.
Robles-Galvan, 62, wiped tears as she told Gov. Roy Cooper of her excitement at returning to a new home in the same spot she lived for 10 years before hurricanes Matthew and Florence. The damaged old home was demolished to make space for a new one.
“I’m so excited. I never in my whole life had a brand new house or a brand new car,” she said.
Robles-Galvan added, “I pray to God it don’t give me a stroke or heart attack.”
During the demolition and reconstruction of her home, Robles-Galvan has been staying with friends in Bladenboro.
Demolition on the former house began Sept. 19, according to Robbie Schaubhut, superintendent with Citadel Recovery Services.
“We’ve been averaging 65 to 70 days per build and we’re moving right along, that’s for sure,” he said.
As of Monday, the construction team was six days into framing the house and planned to begin adding heating, ventilation and air conditioning to the build, Schaubhut said.
Hurricane Matthew ravaged Robles-Galvan’s home, ripping shingles from the roof, and causing significant damages to the interior Sheetrock, including mold. Her home would suffer worse during Hurricane Florence.
Cooper, who has made previous visits to Robeson County to check on the progress of homes being rebuilt, said Robles-Galvan’s new one will be sturdier.
“Demolition, renovation and construction can help prevent flooding in this home in the future,” Cooper said.
The house costs $147,000, which is paid for through ReBuild N.C., according to Schaubhut.
ReBuild N.C. is an initiative which helps homeowners who were affected by hurricanes Matthew and Florence rebuild their homes. The program is funded by Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Cooper said that the home is an example of the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency’s goal for hurricane survivors to “build back smarter and stronger.”
Cooper also signed a resolution declaring Oct. 6-12 as N.C. Resiliency Week.
“What I’m going to do today is to proclaim N.C. Resiliency Week,” he said. “What we want to do is to set the stage for recovery and future resiliency of storms.”
The home is scheduled to be completed in December, according to Workforce Group Construction Manager Josh Norris.
In addition, the home will feature energy efficient appliances that will save the homeowner on bills, according to Taylor Brantley, project manager at Citadel Recovery Services.
According to information from the Governor’s Office, “The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency has awarded $133.1 million in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to homeowners for repairs and reconstructions, small businesses for recovery, local governments for infrastructure and the N.C. Housing Finance Agency for the construction of new affordable housing in hurricane-affected areas. North Carolina still does not have access to any of the CDBG-DR money appropriated after Hurricane Florence.”
There are 168 CDBG-DR-funded home construction projects underway and 158 completed across the state with more than 1,111 homeowners who have been awarded grants.
“In total, North Carolina has spent $3.1 billion in state and federal funding to help survivors of Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence throughout storm-impacted counties,” according to the Governor’s Office.
Mike Sprayberry, director of North Carolina Emergency Management and North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, told The Robesonian in September that $150.9 million has been provided to Robeson County for relief from Matthew, and $58.1 million for Florence relief, a total of about $209 million.
Additionally, three houses have been completed in Fairmont and three more homes are in the process of reconstruction in the town, according to Schaubhut.
“I am extra proud of the resiliency recovery efforts,” said Robeson County Manager Kellie Blue. “We are leading the way in the state. So, right on.”
