How this city is keeping safe roofs over their community

By Emma Peterson. 

Toledo’s Rooftops Repair Program is the blessing that residents needed but didn’t see coming.  

The Rooftops Repair Program is what Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz sees as the good side of Washington, D.C., where things are done correctly and benefit people like Sandra and Veronica directly. He credits U.S Representative Marcy Kaptur for a lot of their success, due to her support of the American Rescue Plan Act as the $3.1 million program is funded through federal relief dollars.  

Wade told The Blade, “This is a real program and real decisions that not every congressperson had the courage to make.” It’s estimated that more than 5,000 homes in Toledo need a new roof. This program is the route to lowering that number, starting with the 250 homes that have qualified and been chosen via a lottery system this year. This includes Sandra Hendrix and Veronica Hank’s homes. 

Prior to the program’s work, Sandra had to deal with soggy, spongy carpet whenever it decided to rain or snow in Ohio. She has lived in this home for two years and calls it her forever home. She didn’t want to leave but she didn’t know how she was going to fix her roof. Then the Rooftops Repair Program came in and installed a new roof and she can enjoy fluffy, soft carpet again, no matter the weather. Sandra is incredibly grateful to everyone, saying, “Sometimes when I pull up [to the house], I just look up and smile.” 

For Veronica, the Rooftops Repair Program was a completely foreign concept. She didn’t even hear about it until her daughter explained it to her. With her daughter’s help, Veronica was able to submit her application, and to her shock, was one of the first people chosen to have a new roof installed. She struggled to find the right words to express her gratitude, saying, “I don’t have any human vernacular for it because I have never gotten anything for free. I’m just ecstatic. I’m proud of it.” 

Photo Source: The Blade