3 years after Greensboro tornado, Habitat for Humanity continues rebuilding damaged homes
Three years ago, Thursday, an EF2 tornado caused widespread damage in Greensboro.
Three years ago, Thursday, an EF2 tornado caused widespread damage in Greensboro.
Three years ago, Thursday, an EF2 tornado caused widespread damage in Greensboro.
Three years ago, Thursday, an EF2 tornado caused widespread damage in Greensboro.
David Kolosieke, of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, said he was at the office that Sunday night. He said he saw dark clouds, heard the rain, but after a few minutes, it was quiet.
Three years after that storm, organizations in Greensboro — including Habitat — are still working to rebuild parts of the city, including in east Greensboro, one of the area’s hardest hit by the tornado.
“The devastation was unbelievable,” he said. “We walked many of the neighborhoods with a whole bunch of other people, in terms of organizations. The size of the trees -- One house would be absolutely fine with nothing wrong with it and the next house would be just a few pieces of it left. It was really crazy.”
Justin Parrish, a senior firefighter with the Greensboro Fire Department, remembered seeing the damage himself. While he wasn’t on shift when the tornado touched down, it wasn’t long, he said, before he and others were called in to help.
“There was a wide range of damage from what we’re used to with power lines and trees down to you could be on one street and have some shingles missing to the next street over the only thing left would be foundation.”
Parrish said the department was able to identify new tools and technology following the storm to improve future responses. He said the storm was unusual due to how widespread the response was.
“It was really intense in certain areas,” he said. “This storm just spread our team out so far. It was really amazing to see the capabilities of the team and how we adapted to that level of response.”
Habitat for Humanity – along with city officials, county leaders and other organizations – are still working to help rebuild some of the homes destroyed by the storm.
This week the organization broke ground on one of five new homes being built in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. Kolosieke is adamant that getting homeowners into homes improves families’ opportunities for wealth in the short and long term, and is a critical component of building strong, vibrant neighborhoods.
“There was a great outpouring of support,” he said. “(I think it has helped to raise) part of the conversation we’ve been having politically locally on equity and disparity.”
The home will be ready for move-in in about six months, he said.