Saturday, March 15, 2008

Organizers of the Atlanta Home Show and the Fuller Center offer repair assistance to low-income homeowners whose homes were damaged

Organizers of the Atlanta Home Show and the Fuller Center offer repair assistance to low-income homeowners whose homes were damaged by this weekend’s severe weather
30th annual home showcase event canceled due to extensive storm damage; Volunteers will repair the damage to the Williams family home at 223 Vine Street today and Sunday

Organizers of the Atlanta Home Show and the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta are offering repair assistance to low-income homeowners devastated by the tornados and strong storms that have swept across the area.

The effort is being coordinated by the office of Atlanta City Councilmember Mary Norwood, the Atlanta Home Show and the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta. For more information about obtaining assistance visit www.fullercenter.org or call Mark Galey, President of the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta, at 404-867-3258 or the office of City Councilmember Mary Norwood at 404-330-6302.

The Fuller Center is a non-profit agency that reaches out to homeowners in need. The agency was participating in the 30th Annual Spring Atlanta Home Show, when Friday’s storm struck.

Volunteers are beginning to repair the damage to the Williams family home at 223 Vine Street today. They will out again on Sunday, said Galey of the Fuller Center.

“We anticipate there are people who don’t have insurance and will need our help to do the necessary repairs to put their homes back together,” he said.

Galey said his agency is currently assessing the damage at other homes in Vine City, one of the hardest hit areas of Atlanta from Friday night’s F2 tornado.

“There are trees on the roof of some homes and they need to removed,” Galey said.

The 30th Annual Spring Atlanta Home Show, which was set to run through Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center, was canceled because of storm damage to the building.

“The response by all residents of our city and beyond has been overwhelming and heartfelt,” said City wide representative Mary Norwood, who spent the day assessing damage across the city. “We appreciate the Atlanta Home Show, the Fuller Center and all organizations and individuals who are assisting.”

Members of the Atlanta City Council also today joined Mayor Shirley Franklin in encouraging residents to follow the advice of emergency personnel and to allow recovery efforts to continue by staying away from areas hardest hit.

The Friday night tornado left a path of destruction starting from Vine City to the west, through the Fairlie-Poplar neighborhood, along historic Sweet Auburn/Edgewood Avenue, before hopping southeast to Cabbagetown, which is located in District 5.

District 5 City Councilmember Natalyn Archibong said residents of Antoine Graves High Rise and the Cabbagetown Lofts had to be evacuated because of structural damage sustained during the storm. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.

There has been no reported loss of life in Atlanta as result of the severe weather. At least two people are dead in North Georgia, one person in the Rockmart area and another person was killed in Floyd County, according to early reports.

Archibong represents Atlanta’s Cabbagetown neighborhood, another hard hit area. In addition to extensive structural damage to some homes and buildings, power loss of another concern, she said. Power was out as of midday Saturday.

“The part of District 5 without power is the most critical,” Archibong said. “We are currently without power in East Atlanta and the East Atlanta Village commercial district. We are concerned about the security of these properties come nightfall but we are holding out hope that power can be restored to these communities expeditiously.”

City officials are also currently accessing several other damaged structures including Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill Lofts at 170 Boulevard.

The Helene S. Mills Senior Center, located at 515 John Wesley Dobbs, has been opened by the Red Cross as a shelter for residents.

A location at 466 Northside Drive NW has been set up as a staging area for District 3 residents impacted by the storm.
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