Johnson County Urges Governor Lee for Long-Term Recovery Funding

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A Call for Support from Johnson County

In a two-page letter addressed to Governor Bill Lee, the Johnson County Long Term Recovery Group has shared their ongoing efforts to rebuild homes in the area. The group has been working tirelessly, relying on donations and volunteers to restore as many homes as possible. However, they are now facing a critical challenge: without additional funding, their progress may come to a halt.

Becky Wright, the director of the Johnson County Long Term Recovery Group, is one of the key voices behind this initiative. She urges everyone to stand behind Johnson County and help the community heal. According to Wright, the county feels somewhat isolated, as if it is not fully part of Tennessee, North Carolina, or Virginia. This sense of being "land-locked" adds to the difficulties the community faces in accessing resources and support.

Wright emphasizes that the group needs continued financial assistance to keep helping homeowners. They receive 2-3 new cases every day, but many individuals have missed the deadlines for individual assistance programs. As a result, the recovery group has become the last line of defense for those affected.

“Everybody seems to think that they can do it themselves and then they get so far into it, [it becomes] overwhelming,” Wright explained. “It seems like they're moving backwards instead of forward because they can't get caught up on the mold, they can't get caught up on the roofing and stuff like that.”

To better understand the situation, Wright took News 5 on a tour of several projects in the county. These projects are owned by families who reached out to the group months after Hurricane Helene, hoping they could avoid repairs or handle them on their own. Unfortunately, many of these families found themselves overwhelmed by the scale of the work required.

Recently, the USDA announced a new program called the 'Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants' for families impacted by Helene. This grant provides much-needed assistance, and the application process is currently open. Those interested can find help with applying through the provided link.

The Johnson County Long Term Recovery Group's full letter to Gov. Lee is available for review. Despite reaching out to the Governor's office, News 5 did not receive a response in time for publication.

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