One of the homeowners that we are working with in Tuscaloosa, Mr. Mimms, got some good news today… his home was removed from the city’s demolition list! 

Mr. Mimms 

In an effort to clean up the remaining debris from around the city and in neighborhoods, the city of Tuscaloosa has established a list of homes that they believe are not able to be repaired.  Names and addresses on this list are rapidly being approached by city officials, as they serve demolition orders to homes all over town.

One of those homes belongs to Mr. Mimms. During the tornado, Mr. Mimms’ roof was severely damaged, and debris was scattered across his yard, making the back of the home nearly unrecognizable.

Wednesday morning, a city inspector stopped by the home to check on the status of the repairs. Mr. Mimms still has tarps on his roof, and is not able to make the necessary repairs to the structure of the home at this time. When the inspector arrived, he saw that our volunteers were working with Mr. Mimms, clearing debris and cutting trees from his yard. Our South Boston group has been working at Mr. Mimms’ home during the week, and were able to show the inspector how much progress has been made.

Because volunteers were at the site and the inspector could see that the homeowner is taking an active role in recovering his property and repairing his home, Mr. Mimms was removed from the demolition list!

This story is a long way from over, though. We expect the city to keep an eye out to check on the progress in the future. By his own admisssion, Mr. Mimms is a “collector” of items that some may see as trash or unneeded items. His back yard, garage and home are full of things that need to be sorted and organized.

We hope to not only help Mr. Mimms repair his roof, we want to help him make changes to ensure the longevity and well-being of his home and life.

So, a huge thanks to South Boston Youth Ambassadors and leaders for your role in saving Mr. Mimms’ home!

United Saints Recovery Project – Tuscaloosa

April 2012