PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — Two families displaced by devastating Eastern Kentucky floods in 2022 received keys to new homes at New Hope Estates on March 5, marking a significant milestone in the state's ongoing disaster recovery efforts.

Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman joined local officials in Floyd County to cut the ribbon on the first two completed homes, welcoming residents Ruby Hale and Claudette Reffitt into their new residences. Both women lost their homes during the July 2022 flooding that devastated Eastern Kentucky and left nearly 9,000 homes damaged or destroyed.

The New Hope Estates subdivision in Prestonsburg, developed specifically for displaced flood survivors, will eventually include 34 homes situated outside the floodplain. Frontier Housing, which built the structures, has three more homes under construction.

Coleman said she and Governor Andy Beshear, who attended the project's groundbreaking in July 2025, remain committed to supporting flood recovery. "When we first said that, we weren't really sure how that was going to happen. We just knew we were going to be here to see it through," the lieutenant governor said.

The state is investing $10 million in the New Hope Estates development through Community Development Block Grant funds, with the Big Sandy Area Development District and nonprofit builder Frontier Housing serving as key partners.

New Hope Estates represents one of seven high-ground sites under development across Eastern Kentucky designed to provide safe housing for flood survivors. The homes feature three bedrooms and two bathrooms on permanent block foundations, offering residents protection from future flooding.

Flood survivors interested in housing assistance can visit HousingCantWait.com to apply for support through the state's recovery program.