LUDLOW, Vt. – When the flood of 2023 devastated much of the region and Town of Ludlow, we built back our communities from the ground up and went above and beyond to help one another in such difficult times. In the aftermath, two local families received Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (CRDMP) grants, which were administered by Vermont Emergency Management, in order to floodproof and elevate their homes.
Cherry Nicoll, Ludlow grants coordinator and assistant municipal clerk, explained that the CRDMP is “a State of Vermont initiative established to help municipalities and residential property owners fund disaster mitigation, climate adaptation, and structure elevation projects.” The Town of Ludlow served as the grant recipient and administrator for the project. Town staff assisted the homeowners throughout the application process, coordinated required documentation and project information, managed grant compliance requirements, processed payments, and submitted reimbursement requests to the state.
The Couch and West families shared their stories, saying that they were fortunate and grateful to receive these CRDMP grants.
The Couches
On July 7, 2025, former Ludlow Town Manager Brendan McNamara presented the Ludlow Selectboard with a request to approve, via the Vermont Emergency Management Elevation Project, a disbursement of funds to Kathe and Alan Couch. The Couches are the property owners of 21 Meadow Street in Ludlow, a homestead devastated by the 2023 Vermont flood, and one they had first purchased in December 2001.
The board’s approval meant the family could finally move forward with basically their only option, financially and practically speaking, to elevate their home above the flood plain.
The Couches attended that meeting, where Alan addressed the board and stated that, as part of the State Community Resilience program, they were able to hire a structural engineer, who determined the house was sound enough to be elevated. It was decided that the best course of action would be to “cave in” the existing foundation and basement and rebuild a new foundation and crawlspace. Utilizing steel beams placed under the house to lift it up, this plan elevated the house 4 to 5 feet.
In the July 2023 flood, the waters rose to 10 inches in Alan and Kathe’s living room and completely filled their basement, taking out the furnace and the heater. Using insurance money for repairs, they tore sheetrock off walls and replaced insulation, doing much of the reconstruction themselves and taking particular care to leave historical details intact.
Immediately after the flood, unable to return home, Alan and Kathe stayed with friends on High Street for the next four months.
The process was not quick, and initially, as progress stalled again and again, they heard reports that, “there wasn’t enough money and [the program] had too many [applicants].”
Although the back and forth with the state was at times frustrating, both Kathe and Alan are grateful to McNamara and the town, and relayed that the “outpouring from folks was always incredible.”
“Brendan was great,” they concurred.
Kathe recalled, “Michelle [Suker] from The Eatery was taking donations and giving away food and delivering sandwiches to displaced people. People from out of state, second-home owners, would show up [to help] us clean.”
Additionally, Kathe said, “Kelly Stettner [founder of the Black River Action Team] organized volunteers who came and asked, ‘What do you need?’ Then they would organize different people to deal with whatever situation was [most urgent].”
Alan remembered, “There was a father/daughter duo who helped…[and] high school kids from New Jersey.” The Ludlow Fire Department received a sizable donation from an anonymous donor to assist victims of the flood.
“Alan and I kept reminding each other, if someone offers help, accept it,” Kathe remarked.
Ultimately, after everything, Alan and Kathe are relieved to be back in their home and are looking forward to when the ordeal feels like a distant memory.
A landscaper friend of theirs has helped them restore their torn-up yard, and the normal routine of life is finally returning.
Sounding reluctantly hopeful, Alan offered, “Next year at this time we should be back to normal.”
The Wests
Vince and Cindy West, of Red Bridge Road, stood in 38 inches of water on July 10, 2023, and were quickly displaced from their home of 15 years. Sadly, this wasn’t the first flood Vince had encountered; he had to clean up his family home after the flood of 1973 and after hurricane Irene.
Vince’s parents purchased the home brand new in 1968, and the house was deeded to him in 1977. The Wests always used the property as a vacation home, and later decided to permanently make the move.
After the flood of 2023, the Wests relocated from motel, to condo, to a semipermanent housing arrangement while they dealt with the aftermath of the devastating floods. Though they had flood insurance on their property, the payout for the damages would barely touch the costs to raise and reconstruct their home. Vince recalled immediately reaching out to the town and the state, looking for answers and solutions.
After many phone calls and working with Nicoll, the Wests were able to secure a significant CRDMP grant. Vince related, “That is the only way we were able to afford getting back in [to our home].”
Vince had researched Bean Group manufactured homes, and exhausted many options. However, the CRDMP grant mandated elevation and floodproofing of the existing structure, and would not cover the cost of a new home. While it is still currently under construction, Vince said his house has been raised 8 feet, and has all new siding and windows, and a new roof. “It’s basically a brand-new house.”
Vince emphasized the deep gratitude he and his wife have for the town and municipal staff. McNamara “was amazing.” Rosemary Goings, former Ludlow zoning administrator, Jarrod Jowdy, and the entire team in the planning and zoning department “were all great.” Angela Kissell from the Ludlow Fire Department was “phenomenal at making sure everything was done right.” Nicoll was immensely helpful in obtaining the grant.
“The community support to get us back in was monumental to say the least,” Vince continued. Black River Good Neighbor Services helped the Wests afford two months’ rent with money that was donated to their organization for the purpose of flood relief. Those funds also helped the Wests purchase all new appliances. There were local fundraising events, and an anonymous donor presented a contribution through the Ludlow Fire Department. Two apartment and condo owners charged the Wests reduced rent, and local restaurant owners offered free meals. The library lent their scanner. Cross Construction and their contractors were amazing, communicative, and “so easy to work with” during the entire construction process of rebuilding. “And [there were] many more super people” who stepped up and continued to “go the extra mile,” Vince stated.
Cindy relayed her biggest takeaway from the whole experience has been “the outpouring of support from the community…from people we don’t even know.”
“Ludlow is our home, it’s where we want to be,” Cindy stated, “because of the community, because of the people that live here…it blows my mind and warms my heart.”
Cross Construction estimated that Vince and Cindy will be able to move back into their home by mid-June, possibly on Vince’s birthday, and just in time for summer on Lake Pauline.