Whitesboro endures slow recovery from floods; some simply won’t recover
Gone are the mounds of treasured possessions saturated in dirt and piled high by the roadside of nearly every home. Nearly gone are the layers of mud, the sounds of water pumps working overtime and heavy machinery of all kinds removing debris. Utility crews remained, though, as did restoration crews from furnace installation to home repair.
Residents hit hard by the
"They're putting in a new furnace and hot water tank today," she said Friday. "We're still not back in our home yet. We hired two restoration companies this week and nobody showed up. It's so hard to get contractors as everyone needs so much assistance."
Tired and wishing for some sort of normalcy, De Jesus echoed the statement from her interview last week.
"I can't afford to go on like this -- I'm petrified. It's my fifth time flooded, and it's past time for
De Jesus said she had to take time off work unpaid this week, which puts her further in the hole. She said he applied for assistance but didn't get much help as she has flood insurance.
"It's almost as if we're penalized because we had that," she said, adding that she still hasn't received a thing from the insurance company.
Despite the devastation to her residence, De Jesus said she felt "almost lucky" as there were many in the neighborhood and in the village who "lost everything."
"We took people out with water up to their throats," said
Friedlander said the village
"These people need salvation from their homes ... People can't keep getting flooded time after time," he said.
GALLERY: FLOOD'S AFTERMATH ACROSS THE REGION
The state had set up six
As of Wednesday, Friedlander said that more than 150 houses are known to have been impacted by floodwaters. He said there currently isn't a dollar estimate on the damage, but so far, he knows of more than a dozen houses that are completely unsalvageable.
Several of those can be found on
BEYOND REPAIR
Walking down
"This structure is unsafe and its occupancy has been prohibited by the Code Enforcement officer," a notice taped to several front doors states.
One of the homes that saw heavy flooding, but not to the point of closure, had wood and garbage bags piled 4 feet high by the side of the road. Next to the pile was a ServPro cleanup and restoration van.
"We're getting rid of the damage and moisture before the mold sets in," said
Spencer said it was his first flood event but it has been multiple for Livigni. He didn't think she could survive another experience.
This was her seventh time, he said.
"The village of
While the loss to Livigni's home was substantial, which Spencer spoke to in detail, he was quick to redirect the conversation -- to his neighbors.
"My heart goes out to every one of them," he said as he pointed to two homes in particular that he said were condemned. "These people moved in less than a year ago and now they've lost everything. Everyone wants out."
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