The Williams family built their house in 1955, along with the house next door for other family members. Generations have had fond memories of their East Houston neighborhood, until Hurricane Harvey struck. Ebony Williams, a grandniece of the original owners, was living in the home she now owns, but she and her young son were forced out by the storm in 2017.
Before
After
Wind and rain knocked down a nearby tree, right onto the house, damaging the roof, windows, electrical and plumbing systems. The house was not safe to live in for the Williams family, and then mold began growing in the walls, making matters even worse. The family needed a great deal of work, but could not find a repair partner able to take on the project, until this spring when West Street Recovery called Rebuilding Together to enlist our help.
Thanks to our partner CITGO, who alone funded Harvey recovery for 186 families, Ms. Williams became our final Hurricane Harvey repair. We applied mold treatment to wall studs and replaced the sheet rock and flooring, along with all the other repairs.
Now that our work is complete, Ms. Williams and her six-year-old son have moved back in. He was so excited! Ms. Williams will be able to raise her son and look after her Mother and Great Aunt next door, continuing their family tradition in East Houston.
“Rebuilding Together Houston brought our family together.
Ebony was displaced from her home as a result of Hurricane Harvey. The home had been in the family since we both could remember. Ebony was raised in the home by a single mother, who passed away in the house in an unexpected way. It was a shock for our family, but we were able to stay connected due to the house being next door to my grandmother's house.
After the natural disaster, my grandmother feared the family would lose the home because of the amount of investment required to make the space liveable again. Rebuilding Together Houston came to the rescue. It allowed me and Ebony to bond in a stronger way as an adult and build a relationship with her son who I had not spent much time around after they were forced to move.
The experience with Rebuilding Together Houston was such a positive experience for my family and we will forever be thankful.” - Chardae, Ebony’s cousin
