GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Robert and Blossom Overby have lived a life dedicated to helping others, but since a tornado ripped through east Greensboro on April 15, the tables have turned.

  • People in Greenboro are still recovering after storms destroyed their homes
  • Mr. and Mrs. Overby are thankful they have housing after nearly two months
  • City leaders are working to find homes with good living conditions for those in need 

Mr. Overby is a pastor. He and his wife, Blossom, run Gods Grace Ministry off Market Street in Greensboro. They’re one of hundreds of people who are getting relocated after the storm destroyed their home.

The city’s low-income housing crisis has intensified since the storm, and city leaders are reeling to get people into new or temporary homes.

The Overby’s are one of many success stories beginning to come out of the relocation process. They say they owe it all to the housing coalition, Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other local organizations.

"After about a month and a half we got the apartment we [in] are now,” Blossom Overby said. “We're thankful. It's a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment, but we’re thankful because that’s what we needed more than anything. Shelter, a place to live."

Greensboro City Council member Sharon Hightower says there’s still people on waiting lists and people staying in hotels because of the lack of quality housing. Even finding housing for the people who currently have it hasn’t been easy.

"The first seven or eight places we went, we were like, this can't be the right address,” says Blossom, “It’s bad when you don't have anywhere to go and you have to refuse a place because its actually not adequate for you to live in."

Hightower agrees. "We go back and look at it and say well you're right. It doesn't meet the standard of where we want people to move into. We still have people, two months later looking for somewhere to go,” he said.

For now, city leaders are working on the issue and getting people into better living conditions. They’re hoping to have more success stories like the Overby’s in the months to come.

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