Polier outlined the organization’s progress and upcoming projects during a presentation to the Rotary Club of Cleveland on Tuesday.
During January the organization hopes to finish the home being built on Thomas Road, start framing a second home and pour the foundation on a third.
Plans for a five-bedroom house on Lead Mine Valley Road are ready, and it is scheduled to be built in February. However, $5,000 is still needed for the project.
The organization hopes to complete five or six more homes from July to December 2012.
“We’re still looking for some additional funding,” Polier said.
Donations available for 2012 homes add up to $99,000 with each house costing about $30,000.
Many area organizations have partnered with the LTRO to build these homes.
“Most communities don’t start their build process for about a year (according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency),” Polier said.
This puts recovery in Bradley County ahead of many other areas.
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and FEMA were impressed with the Bradley county community and its recovery progress, Polier said.
The LTRO will only be in existence for as long as it is needed to help those recovering from the April 27 storms.
“FEMA estimated that we were looking at two to three years. I don’t think we are probably looking at that long because the damage was not as severe as we thought. Even though we have 285 totally destroyed homes a lot of them were covered by insurance,” Polier said.
There are 110 case files being worked through at this time.
In order to receive assistance from LTRO, an individual must own the land in question, have been affected by the April 27 storms, have finalized FEMA and insurance processes and the property owner must not be able to complete recovery projects on their own.
A group of anonymous stakeholders decide what projects get funded. The organization then enters into a contract with the homeowners that they will live in the home for at least five years, and have it insured.
The LTRO became a nonprofit agency on Dec. 1, 2011, so that it could accept donations for long-term recovery. Prior to that, all funding had been channeled through the United Way.
Polier said the organization has several committees that address different areas of need, such as the unmet needs committee which deals with everyday necessities, and the construction committee.
