The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.

Work Still To Be Done For Bastrop County Recovery


It's been 18-months since the worst wildfires in Texas history destroyed a large portion of Bastrop County.  Nearly 1,700 people lost their homes.  According to Bastrop County Long Term Recovery, 276 homes destroyed by the wildfires had no insurance.

Friday was homecoming day for one of those families.

Marianna and Humberto Flores are one of the lucky ones.  They say they're happy and humbled to get a new home for free.

Bastrop county long term recovery is a non-profit corporation responsible for rebuilding 50 Bastrop homes -- including this one.

"There's a lot of work to be done still," said Bastrop commissioner Clara Beckett.

Of the 1,700 homes destroyed in the wildfires, Beckett estimates only 700 have been rebuilt.

"Rebuilds have clearly slowed down," admitted Beckett.

Partly due to funding cuts.  FEMA could see its disaster relief budget slashed by nearly $900,000,000 due to sequestration.  But help is on the horizon.

KEYE TV has learned Bastrop county just received a $30,000,000 HUD grant.  80 percent of those funds will be used to help low and moderate, uninsured and underinsured residents to rebuild.

"We have windows and doors," said gene crick.

Crick is the executive director of Bastrop County Recovery Center.  He's helping fire victims find their way -- at a time when many people have forgotten them.

"It's tuff to find support now because the urgency is gone. Well that's just yesterday's news," added Crick.

Bastrop long term recovery plans to build 10 additional homes within the next six months.

By Alex Boyer