Boots on the Ground in Buffalo Creek

Buffalo Creek, KY is a community where many will never visit and the cameras don’t go—but Housing Can’t Wait does.

Following the devastating flood on July 29, 2022 that hit this rural community, Fahe and Partnership Housing stepped up. Wearing muck boots, old t-shirts, and needing four-wheel-drive trucks, they scoured the area to learn what was needed and worked as quickly as possible. They wanted to make sure the residents of Buffalo Creek knew that the Housing Can’t Wait coalition would show up for them and continue to be there. 

Buffalo Creek is located in the most mountainous, rural, and least-populated area in Owsley County, approximately 20 miles or more from Booneville, KY. The residents in Buffalo Creek enjoy the beautiful rural scenery but also are mostly isolated from technology, since service for internet and cellphones is almost nonexistent. Partnership Housing committed early on to rebuild 5 homes for residents who lost their homes to the flood. Partnering with a local contractor, they got to work immediately. 

One of the homes is for an elderly man named Jerry Baker, who everyone in Buffalo praised for being the kindest, most helpful neighbor they’ve had. As the needs of the community were assessed following the flood, neighbor after neighbor in the Buffalo area continued to praise this one man, sharing nothing but enormous admiration for Mr. Baker.  

On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Partnership Housing’s Executive Director Cassie Hudson and Board Member/Intern Shirley Birch went to Buffalo for the second time to evaluate the home damages and to speak with flood victims. 

Homeowner Mr. Baker was sitting on his sister's front porch, where he had gone to stay following the loss of his home from the flood. He told us that when the flood came, it was fast, and he didn’t have time to do anything. He made it out of his house (an older home) and as the rain poured down, he made it to his vehicle, backed it as far as he could up the hillside, turned his headlights on, and all he saw was water. He remained in the vehicle until daylight, when he could wade the water to get to his sister’s home. Due to the flooding, Mr. Baker’s home was a total loss. There is no way financially that repairs could salvage it. He and so many survivors are continually reliving the memory surviving the July 29, 2022 flood.

Partnership Housing got to work immediately to develop a plan to put Mr. Baker back in a home, and off of his sister’s front porch where he was staying. The days were long, but it was a true team effort. Partnership Housing partnered with a local contractor who wanted to donate his own time and his entire team to build Mr. Baker a new home. With the collaboration of of Partnership Housing, the local contractor, and Fahe, a brand-new home was built for Mr. Baker in just ONE WEEK! 

When the home was completed, Fahe and Partnership Housing went back to Buffalo to share in Mr. Baker’s amazed excitement that his new home was complete.

With tears in his eyes, Mr. Baker said, “I just want to thank everyone that has helped me and been good to me. I know there are more people who needs more help than me. I sure didn’t know what was gonna come from that night when I was sitting in my truck watching the water build up.”

His statement brought new meaning to his neighbors’ praise. Mr. Baker had lost his home and lived through a traumatic event, but was still humble and felt that there were others who needed so much more than he did. 

The community of Buffalo Creek, KY lost much in the 2022 flooding, and Housing Can’t Wait will continue to show up for these people and refuse to let them be forgotten.