Rita Yorgensen has lived in the same Northeast El Paso mobile home since 1985. At 88, on a fixed income with no credit to her name, she had no way to pay for the repairs her aging home badly needed. A local repair company started a fundraiser after learning about her situation.
Yorgensen lives in Casa Mobil Home Park, according to KVIA, which first reported on her situation in September. She told the station she had no way to cover the cost of fixing her home and was living on a fixed income with no credit. The outlet also described the stress and hardship she faced in the home she had called home for more than four decades.
A local repair company, Top Dog Roofing TX, stepped in after learning about her situation and started a GoFundMe to help with her home's repair needs, the station reported. The company initially came to inspect the roof, and the home had other repair needs as well.
A Home in Serious Disrepair
The problems went far beyond a leaky roof. A separate KVIA report detailed a front door that did not lock, multiple openings in the ceiling that let rain and debris fall through, water damage, burnt electrical outlets, and deteriorating exterior skirting around the home. Pedraza, with Top Dog Roofing TX, said at the time that all the repairs could cost about $4,000 — an estimate for the repairs.
The outlet reported that Top Dog Roofing TX inspected the roof after learning about Yorgensen's situation.
A Fundraiser for Needed Repairs
The station reported that a GoFundMe campaign was created to help with repairs to Yorgensen's home.
In September, KVIA reported on Yorgensen's situation and the condition of her home.
Help for Aging Homeowners in El Paso
Yorgensen's case highlights a broader challenge facing older residents living in aging housing across the region. Local nonprofit Rebuilding Together El Paso offers an application process for homeowners who are 62 or older and/or disabled, requiring that the person seeking help actually live in the home in question, according to the organization's application guidelines. The organization's guidelines list eligible repair types, including roof repairs but not full roof replacements.
For Yorgensen, a local business created a fundraiser to help address repairs to a home whose roof and exterior needed work she could not afford on her own.
