The woman, who is on a fixed income, cleans houses and hopes to sell a car to help pay for the remainder of the renovations. The unfinished home is weathering, and she is facing complaints from the city. Leaves blow in the house on windy days, and rain pelts the floorboards when it storms. She estimates it will take $75,000 to make the full repairs. She filed a police report, and the district attorney has been notified of her case. In her own background check of the contractor, she found that he had pulled off many similar scams on other families in the area. “My heart just broke when I put his name in,” she said. “I got 79 pages back.” The woman said she is ineligible for homeowner’s insurance and home equity loans because of the incomplete repairs, but has applied for grants from the Northeast Texas Community Development Corporation and Home Depot, which will supply skilled volunteers to help her finish the house. “I am a praying woman, so I just prayed,” she said. “I still thank God for where I am.” Loftus said that after repairs, the home will be worth about $245,000.
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