A few years ago, Kamaria Clardy escaped from a fire in her home in North Tulsa. Her home, however, sustained heavy smoke damage. Though she owns her own home, she had to move out and rent while her house sat vacant and wasting. I heard about Kamaria’s story through FEMA and the City of Tulsa’s Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) program.
Kamaria Clardy’s family is one of the 1,256 Black families receiving a $10,000 reparation for her home through 1256 Movement. We are now renovating Kamaria’s home with those funds. I am working alongside Kamaria’s family and a crew to demo the smoke damaged parts while salvaging a strong foundation and frame. We are repurposing lumber from the house itself and windows and doors from other jobs to save every dollar and make this rehab affordable.
As you can see in the video, the home is now ready for re-wiring, insulation, drywall, paint, fixtures, and more. It will cost much more than $10,000, but getting the home “habitable” in the City of Tulsa terms will allow five year forgivable HUD loans for further renovations.
I love the picture of my foreman, Henry Pinto, giving a high five and hug to Kamaria’s mother, who had grown up in this home in the 1950s. When Kamaria served the crew Church’s chicken in the street on the truck of her car, it was a beautiful thing to watch God’s children of many races loving one another like this.
Donate to 1256 Movement
Mail Checks to:
1256 Movement
3650 Camelot Dr.
Bartlesville, OK 74006
