5 Years Later . . .
Message from Commissioner Cagle
Dear Friends:
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) made the shocking decision this week to reject requests by Harris County and the City of Houston for approximately $900 million each in federal flood mitigation funding tied to Hurricane Harvey.
The GLO decision mocks common sense. I believe those flood relief funds should go to those of us who bore the brunt of the second-most costly storm in our nation’s history. Hurricane Harvey caused more damage in the Harris County region than in any other part of Texas. Dozens of our neighbors were killed, and many thousands of our friends and family lost their homes and businesses. It affected all of us, and we all continue the work toward recovery.
And yet we received NOTHING.
This absurd decision by the GLO prompted me to reach out personally to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the elected official who oversees the GLO. Mr. Bush told me that recent changes in the application process and interpretation of criteria for awarding these funds forced the agency’s hand. I made it very clear to Mr. Bush that this decision created a gross injustice to my constituents and to our region as a whole. In response, Mr. Bush said that he could do nothing about this first batch of funds, but he promised he would not oppose Harris County and the City Of Houston receiving a direct allocation of other federal payments already headed to Texas.
Rest assured, I will continue to work with other city and county officials to recoup our region’s appropriate share of needed federal funds, and I will hold Mr. Bush to his commitment regarding future funding as well.
Sincerely,
Commissioner R. Jack Cagle
By Kaila Contreras, Staff writer Updated 4:11 pm CST, Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Houston launches Homeowner Assistance Program for residents affected by Hurricane Harvey
Houston City Councilman Dave Martin recently announced the City of Houston has launched is Homeowner Assistance Program to help residents rebuild and repair their homes after Hurricane Harvey.
The City of Houston received the $1.17 billion for housing recovery through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the State of Texas General Land Office.
The recovery funds include the Homeowner Assistance Program, which offers five options including reimbursement for completed repairs, homeowner-managed rehabilitation, city-managed rehabilitation and reconstruction, buyouts and interim mortgage assistance.
There will be several meetings held this month for those interested for more information.
Residents that are interested in applying for this program are encouraged to take the Harvey Recovery Survey. The survey can also be taken through the phone at 832-393-0550 from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or in person at any of the four new Housing Recovery Centers.
City officials urge residents to take the survey before attending one of the public meetings.
The survey a tool to direct residents to the appropriate recovery program and to help the city prioritize those with urgent needs. No documentation is required to take the survey, and it takes less than 15 minutes to complete, city officials said.
While priority will be given to low and moderate income homeowners, assistance is available to homeowners of all income levels. An intake specialist will contact applicants after they have completed the survey regarding the next steps.
kaila.contreras@chron.com
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