Resilience and Accessibility for St. John Homes

St. John is the smallest of the US Virgin Islands, with a population of around 4,500 people. As an island community, we are still recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, followed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Many St. John residents experience both physical and emotional trauma from those impacts daily.

One of the biggest issues is access to safe and affordable housing. Destruction in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria was widespread, with damages all throughout the island. While no one in the community was untouched by the impact of these storms, areas of St. John with high concentrations of low to middle income homes were disproportionately affected both by the event, and in the aftermath of the recovery. 

Recovery is not quick. Love City Strong is committed to building back in a thoughtful and sustainable way, and in order to do this we rely heavily on local partners, and the generosity of our donors. The process can be overwhelming at times, but it is incredibly rewarding to return a resident to a safe living situation. With the help of skilled local contractors, and the support of private donations, we recently completed a full scale rebuild for one of our senior clients. In such a small community, we have the privilege of connecting on a personal level with every individual we serve. It was an absolute pleasure working with this client, and we are all so happy to see him enjoying his newly repaired home. 

The path to recovery is a long one, and it is critical to emphasize community resilience. By establishing partnerships with local organizations and businesses, we ensure that we are prepared to support our island quickly, and internally. We continue to rely on the generosity of our donors, who make a huge impact on our clients every step of the way. 

In the nearly six years since Hurricanes Irma and Maria impacted the U.S. Virgin Islands, local communities have endeavored to recover despite a global pandemic and subsequent economic shocks. Many families across the Territory are still without roofs, and each year’s hurricane season threatens further damage. Now, more than ever, it is critical to nurture a culture of readiness, so that the community can be prepared in the event of future disasters.

Love City Strong continues to emphasize community engagement, mitigation, and equity in recovery as a comprehensive path towards resilience. This is the time to make generational investments in our homes, our businesses, and in our community

Our housing programs are designed to benefit St. John from beginning to end of construction. From design, to permitting, to building and finishing, we rely on the skills and expertise of local companies and professionals. Each property belongs to a long term resident with no other options for returning to a safe and secure home. Through a combination of federal grants and private funding, we are committed to meeting the needs of each individual to repair homes in a more resilient way.

The road to recovery is long, and we truly appreciate that our supporters have joined us on the journey towards a more prepared St. John. Thank you all.