DELTONA, Fla. — A Volusia County couple says a hurricane recovery program meant to help rebuild their home instead left them with costly repairs, unanswered questions and a lien on their property.
Donna and George Welch turned to the county’s Transform386 program after their Deltona home sustained damage during back-to-back hurricanes in 2022. What began as an estimated $39,000 repair project ultimately grew to $176,000, with a five-year lien placed on their home.
The program is administered by Volusia County using funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is designed to help homeowners recover from storms, but the Welches say the process left their home “in shambles” and strained their finances.
When Channel 9 investigative reporter Shannon Butler visited the property, the couple had recently moved back in and their belongings remained piled throughout the home.
They pointed to what they described as substandard work, including granite countertops replaced with Formica, uneven and mismatched flooring and lingering problems with bathrooms and doors.
The family also said it has not received documentation explaining how the $176,000 was spent.
“My parents have a lien now for five years against their house,” said Michelle Welch, the couple’s daughter. “They cannot move out or sell it without paying that money back. There’s no specification on what they actually completed.”
The Welches said they were not given a final inspection report detailing the repairs approved by the county and contractor.
The county told Channel 9 that a walkthrough conducted in May found no documented outstanding items requiring additional work. The county also said the homeowner signed off on the project as complete.
However, county officials said the repairs are covered by a one-year warranty that allows problems to be addressed as they arise.
Since Channel 9 interviewed the homeowners, discussions have taken place with the contractor and work is being scheduled to address some of the flooring concerns.
The family said the paperwork it signed was intended to allow the couple to reoccupy the home and was not an acknowledgment that the work had been completed satisfactorily.
Donna Welch said enrolling in the program is something she deeply regrets.
“I did this thinking I was helping my family,” she said. “They didn’t help them because I just made it worse.”
The family said the experience has caused significant stress and depression.
Since Channel 9 began asking questions, water intrusion through a sliding glass door has been addressed. The family said several other problems remain unresolved.
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