This Week: Home Elevations Approved for Meyerland Flood Survivors; Progress Report: Hurricane Harvey Recovery; The 8th Annual Houston Kosher Chili Cookoff

Home Elevations Approved for Meyerland Flood Survivors

Council approved contracts with two firms, Arkitektura Development Inc and Planet Three Consulting Corp, for the elevation of four flood-prone homes in District C’s Meyerlandneighborhood.

Two of these contracts are to replace former failed contracts with developer Titan Foundations and Elevations, who went out of business prior to beginning construction at these addresses. Four more elevation grant-funded addresses had prior contracts with Titan, for whom new contract negotiations near completion. Those awards are expected to come before Council for consideration in the near future.

All four homes on this week’s agenda are participants in the FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Program or the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The City of Houston, in partnership with the Texas Water Development Board, submits annual applications to compete nationwide for these federal grant funds to reduce the risk of flooding for single-family homes by elevation.

Progress Report: Hurricane Harvey Recovery

Chief Recovery Officer Steve Costello shared a presentation with Council describing Houston’s progress on Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. He outlined the amount and types of federal aid dollars we have received and expect, and how they have been and will be spent:

• FEMA Grants: Resilience Projects: $230M
• Includes 4 major drainage improvement projects along the White Oak, Buffalo, and San Jacinto watersheds, as well as individual home elevation and buy-out awards.
• FEMA Public Assistance: City Facilities and Infrastructure: $2B
• Includes: repairs for damaged drainage channels, water and wastewater utilities, roads and bridges, fire stations, libraries and other public buildings; emergency sheltering and clean-up operations; citywide debris removal; police and fire overtime.
• HUD Infrastructure: Neighborhood Drainage Projects: $1.1B
• (we await the release of Federal Register Notice of Funding Availability, which will provide more information)
• HUD Housing: $1.3B
• Includes: rehabilitation and reconstruction of flooded homes; interim mortgage assistance; new single-family and multi-family construction; homebuyer assistance funds; buy-outs of flood-prone locations.

More information is available online at HoustonTX.gov/PostHarvey.

What’s Happening in the District

The 8th Annual Houston Kosher Chili Cookoff will take place Sunday, March 3rd at Congregation Beth Yeshurun. This iconic event attracts over 6,000 locals and visitors to Houston annually. Participants sample homemade kosher chili recipes from dozens of groups andMayor Pro Tem Cohen is honored to serve as a judge. The event will begin at noon and tickets may be purchased online.