HASTINGS, Fla. — The home of Tammy and Claude Degolyer isn't what it used to be. Hurricane Matthew damaged their roof in 2016.
Officials provided the couple with a temporary fix shortly afterward: a blue tarp. Three years later, the couple says they still need their roof replaced.
"They told us it would last about three months probably," Tammy Degolyer said. The tarp continues to deteriorate and also poses a problem for leaks. "It flakes down on the lawn and everything and you can smell an odor when the sun hits it melting," she said.
Claude Degolyer is a retired U.S. Army veteran. His wife suffers from asthma. She said mold is also a concern.
To make matters worse, a recent rainstorm damaged their wedding album.
"I was really heartbroken, I wanted to cry," she said. "I was just thinking, this is one of the most valuable things you have and it's irreplaceable. Hopefully, it can be restored."
The couple's settlement from their homeowner's insurance wasn't enough to cover the cost to replace the roof, so they filed an application with Restore St. Johns, a local recovery program for those impacted by Hurricane Matthew.
"It's dragged on now, 27 months and we still are turning in papers to get help with local grants," she said.
Our On Your Side team reached out to the program for answers. We were told the program is not structured to provide immediate relief, however, it has reached out to other non-profits to replace the old tarp for the time being until funds are made available to replace the roof.