This Week: New Building Requirements to Protect Homes from Flooding; More Flood-Prone Homes to Be Elevated; Festival Grant Application Deadline Approaching
New Building Requirements to Protect Homes from Flooding
Mayor Pro Tem Cohen and her colleagues approved changes to Houston’s building code ordinance relating to flooding. New structures and major home additions (increases of over 1/3 of the square footage) that are located within the 100-year or 500-year floodplains must be built at least two feet over the 500-year measurement. In addition, when new homes are built to this standard, developers may not utilize more than the existing “fill” to close the gap, since impermeable materials can cause drainage to flow from a new home to adjacent properties. Builders may only incorporate fill in the floodplain if they demonstrate no negative impact on the street’s sheet flow. The Houston Public Works Department has estimated that, if all structures within the floodplain had been built to these standards prior to Hurricane Harvey, 84% would have been protected from flooding (excluding reservoir-impacted areas). These updates improve Houston’s flood resiliency and may save lives in future storms.
More Flood-Prone Homes to Be Elevated
Council authorized contracts with Arkitektura Development Inc for the elevation of nine homes that were accepted for FEMA grants following the May 2015 Memorial Day floods. Of the 30 total homes approved by FEMA, elevation is complete on four and (with this week’s approval) 22 are now under construction, which is anticipated to take five to six months. Seven of the homes are located in District C: five in Meyerland and two in Marilyn Estates. In addition, FEMA has approved 39 homes to be elevated from Houston’s 2016 application and the bidding process is underway to select contractors.
Festival Grant Application Deadline Approaching
The City of Houston and the Houston Arts Alliance have partnered to offer a $10,000 grant opportunity for groups seeking to host arts festivals or the arts components of cultural festivals. The Festival Grant Program celebrates Houston’s diversity and promotes the our city’s creative identity as a unique arts and cultural destination. The grant term is July 1 – December 31, 2018, and the deadline to apply is April 9, 2018 by 5:30PM.