3/5/26 – On Friday 3/6/26, eight advocacy groups will protest a proposed settlement in two lawsuits involving the controversial Colony Ridge development in Liberty County. The State of Texas and U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleged fraudulent marketing and sales practices by Colony Ridge. The proposed settlement would correct those moving forward. However, it does nothing to compensate past victims.
The 30-page settlement proposed on February 9, 2026, requires Colony Ridge to invest $20 million to beef up law enforcement and $48 million to correct deficiencies in existing infrastructure. It also requires Colony Ridge to reform its marketing and sales practices going forward.
However, it does nothing to compensate the victims of past, alleged abuses. And as a result, eight advocacy groups have joined together to protest the settlement. They include:
National Fair Housing Alliance
National Consumer Law Center
UnidosUS
Public Justice
Center for Responsible Lending
Poverty and Race Research Action Council
Southern Poverty Law Center
League of United Latin American Citizens
At least one of the victims, Maria Acevedo, has also requested to testify tomorrow.
Basis of Amicus Brief
The advocacy groups’ 21-page amicus brief contends that a motion to join and seal the two cases…
“… improperly asks the court to approve and enforce relief that is unrelated to the pleaded case or the civil rights statutes under which it was brought, even as the proposed settlement fails to provide adequate relief to those harmed by the predatory and discriminatory scheme at issue.”
If the courts approved the proposed settlement, the cases would be over and sealed forever. But the settlement fails to provide any meaningful relief for those allegedly defrauded by Colony Ridge’s predatory lending practices, including:
Seller-financed mortgages that ignored borrowers’ ability to repay
Excessive fees
Omitting total costs to install and connect necessary infrastructure, such as water, sewer and electrical utilities
Misrepresenting flood risk and large expenses required to mitigate that risk
Exorbitant interest rates as high as 12.9% – three to five times the prevailing rate
Late fees on delinquent borrowers, compounding their inability to repay
Targeting Hispanics, but not providing closing documents in Spanish
Repeated and excessive foreclosures (an average of 298 per month comprising 92% of all foreclosures in Liberty County).
Colony Ridge repeatedly foreclosed on and then resold properties, profiting from any improvements made by previous buyers. The brief cites the case of one property sold four times in two years.
The amicus brief contends that the settlement proposes to “forfeit the meritorious claims alleged in the complaint, let Defendants off the hook, and leave consumers without compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
Scale of Alleged Harm
Although the brief does not provide exact figures, it says “tens of thousands” of consumers “lost thousands of dollars with little or nothing to show for the investments.” That would put total losses into the tens of millions of dollars.” Yet the agreement does not include any direct financial relief for consumers who lost money.
Nor does the proposed settlement provide any relief for those currently trapped in existing contracts. The original lawsuit sought an option to rescind sales contracts for families caught up in the scheme. However, the amicus brief says, “While the agreement creates a rescission option for future borrowers, [it] does nothing for existing consumers stuck in predatory contracts.”
Also, “It does not address the harm to the borrowers who purchased lots believing that they would not flood only to find that they did, or those who are stuck with unhabitable, flooded lots…”
Hearing Details
The Honorable Judge Alfred H. Bennett of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas/Houston Division will rule on the issues raised in the brief on Friday, March 6, 2026.
Three lawyers from Washington DC who represent the advocacy groups will oppose the proposed settlement.
For those who want to observe, the Federal Courthouse is at 515 Rusk Avenue, Houston, TX. The hearing is reportedly in Courtroom 9A at 10:30.
For More Information
For more information and perspectives, see these statements published by:
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201207-Aerial-Dec-2020_1210.jpg?fit=1200%2C813&ssl=18131200adminadmin2026-03-05 11:58:052026-03-05 14:41:02Colony Ridge Victims Protest Proposed Settlement that Leaves Them Out
3/4/26 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) will hold a meeting at the Humble Civic Center to solicit public input on its Joint-Reservoir-Operations Study. Please come:
March 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy, Humble, TX 77338
Representatives from the SJRA, Coastal Water Authority, City of Houston, Humble, and the study consultant, Black & Veatch Engineering, will explain the study and field your questions. The meeting will feature informational tables where residents can talk with engineers one on one, plus a presentation.
According to Matt Barrett, PE, SJRA’s Water Resources and Flood Management Division Manager, “one of the main objectives of the study is to determine if there are any benefits to pre-releases from Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.”
Not an Easy Question
While that may seem obvious to flood victims, the question can get complicated. In involves an almost infinite number of weather scenarios, engineering variables and water-supply considerations. For instance:
How much rain will fall and how fast? Which direction will the storm come from? Where will the most rain fall in the river basin?
How many gates can the budget support? Will they be able to keep up with Lake Conroe’s discharges?
What happens if a storm veers away at the last minute? How can we make sure pre-releases don’t waste water or flood downstream neighbors?
In my mind, the question is not “if” pre-releases have a benefit, but “when.”
And that relates to a second objective of the study: to develop a flow forecasting tool for the entire river basin.
Accordingly, said Barrett, “The study will also consider the travel time of water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston, a factor that’s crucial in evaluation of pre-releases.”
Experience of Other River Basins
Coordinating pre-releases from multiple dams is not an unusual problem. Most rivers have more than one. For instance, multiple dams on the lower Colorado River help keep Austin from flooding.
There’s a well-established body of work showing that coordinating operations across multiple reservoirs can produce measurable flood-mitigation benefits. However, hydrology, travel times, and downstream constraints must align.
The big win is usually shaving peak flows. Engineers in other watersheds have seen flood-mitigation benefits when their studies identified operating rules that:
Prevented “release stacking” – We must avoid upstream releases arriving at the same time as peak local inflows from other uncontrolled tributaries, such as the East Fork or Spring and Cypress Creeks
Used forecasts intelligently – Pre-release only works when forecast confidence and downstream capacity justify it
Make-or-break technical questions for the San Jacinto Watershed will likely include:
Travel time for water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston and how that changes with different base flows.
Downstream constraints such as local rainfall in the Lake Houston watershed
Forecast confidence and decision triggers – When will forecasts be reliable enough to justify pre-release without wasting water supply or making flooding worse.
What will the study optimize for? Peak flood stage at specific gages? Total damages? Avoiding emergency spillway use? Protecting evacuation routes? Something else?
Bring your questions to the Civic Center.
Why is This Study Taking So Long?
The project was delayed by a change in plans in adding gates to the Lake Houston Dam. SJRA first applied for a grant to study synchronizing releases from the two dams back in 2020. However, after crest gates to the spillway portion of the dam proved infeasible, the City of Houston decided to study adding tainter gates to the earthen eastern portion of the dam.
Tainter gates like Lake Conroe’s will now go in the earthen portion of the dam above, not the concrete spillway in distance.
That new study is now 30% complete. That’s far enough along to start making engineering decisions. But to complicate things even further, costs have escalated because of inflation. That raises some additional questions…and scenarios. How many gates can the City afford? Will they be able to keep up with releases from Lake Conroe? And will Black & Veatch even examine scenarios involving additional gates?
If history is any indication, you can bet that members from the Lake Conroe Association will be there to talk against pre-release. If you want your interests represented in this study, make sure you come tomorrow night. And make sure they include the scenarios in their study that represent your biggest concerns.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/4/26
3109 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/20220722-RJR_0770-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2026-03-04 14:30:012026-03-05 06:44:22Reminder: SJRA Joint-Reservoir-Operations Meeting in Humble
3/2/26 – In one of the most hotly contested primaries in recent memory, State Rep. Steve Toth is running against Congressman Dan Crenshaw in the newly redrawn Congressional District 2. I urge you to vote for Crenshaw who has consistently delivered flood-mitigation dollars for the Lake Houston Area. But that’s not the only reason.
Speech Suppression, Refusal to Debate, Lies, Black Money
Toth’s supporters have:
Relentlessly destroyed Crenshaw signs
Rudely interfered with Crenshaw campaign workers at polling places
Loudly disrupted Crenshaw meetings
One of many Crenshaw signs destroyed in the middle of the night the day before the primary.Another destroyed earlier
Mr. Toth tears down his opponent because he has virtually nothing positive to say about himself. Toth has one of the most negative voting records in the Texas Legislature.
Understanding what Toth voted NO on gives you deeper insight into the man and his values.
In 2025, Toth voted against flood mitigation, flood-warning systems, free speech, food banks, cybersecurity, conservation, grid reliability, open meetings, transparency, ethics, border security, fraud protections, and disclosure of campaign finance information.
Toth also voted against groups, such as law enforcement, first responders, consumers, patients, motorists, veterans, educators, CPAs, dentists, dental hygienists, farmers, restauranteurs, insurers, aviators, heath-care providers, seniors, schoolchildren, whistleblowers, correctional officers, manufacturers, attorneys, college students, utility employees, people who work from home, flood victims, crime victims, and rural Texans.
Allowing people to affiliate with the political party of their choice
The Texas Ethics Commission
Sexual harassment prevention
Gulf Coast hurricane protection
Online consumer protections
Property tax relief
Combatting human trafficking
Workplace violence prevention policies
Whistleblower protection
Training programs for child-abuse investigators
Prohibiting construction of assisted-living facilities in Harris County 100-year floodplains
Reporting cybersecurity breaches
Toth voted against a majority of Republicans on every single one of these measures and hundreds more. On many of them, more than 90% of Republicans voted FOR the bills.
How Extremists Like Toth Can Hijack an Election
Voting NO so often helps Toth boost his conservative rating among some far right-leaning groups. But it also means, he has accomplished virtually nothing. He has nothing positive he can say about himself. He has NO record to run on. So, he tears down his opponent. That’s all he can do. And all he has done.
As of the end of two weeks of early voting, 8.1% of registered voters had voted. If half of those are Democrats, that means 4% of voters will determine the Republican candidate in CD-2 – unless YOU vote Tuesday, March 3rd.
Extremists like Toth represent a huge percentage of that 4%. The nut cases ALL vote.
Don’t let them determine your choices in November.
Please vote for Crenshaw if you want to continue seeing flood-mitigation improvements. He has brought hundreds of millions of flood-mitigation dollars to the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/2/26
3107 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Crenshaw-Sign-Ripped.jpg?fit=1100%2C482&ssl=14821100adminadmin2026-03-02 17:40:432026-03-02 19:17:08Toth Continues Assaults on First Amendment, Human Rights, Common Sense
Colony Ridge Victims Protest Proposed Settlement that Leaves Them Out
3/5/26 – On Friday 3/6/26, eight advocacy groups will protest a proposed settlement in two lawsuits involving the controversial Colony Ridge development in Liberty County. The State of Texas and U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleged fraudulent marketing and sales practices by Colony Ridge. The proposed settlement would correct those moving forward. However, it does nothing to compensate past victims.
Parties Objecting to Proposed Settlement
The 30-page settlement proposed on February 9, 2026, requires Colony Ridge to invest $20 million to beef up law enforcement and $48 million to correct deficiencies in existing infrastructure. It also requires Colony Ridge to reform its marketing and sales practices going forward.
However, it does nothing to compensate the victims of past, alleged abuses. And as a result, eight advocacy groups have joined together to protest the settlement. They include:
At least one of the victims, Maria Acevedo, has also requested to testify tomorrow.
Basis of Amicus Brief
The advocacy groups’ 21-page amicus brief contends that a motion to join and seal the two cases…
If the courts approved the proposed settlement, the cases would be over and sealed forever. But the settlement fails to provide any meaningful relief for those allegedly defrauded by Colony Ridge’s predatory lending practices, including:
Colony Ridge repeatedly foreclosed on and then resold properties, profiting from any improvements made by previous buyers. The brief cites the case of one property sold four times in two years.
The amicus brief contends that the settlement proposes to “forfeit the meritorious claims alleged in the complaint, let Defendants off the hook, and leave consumers without compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
Scale of Alleged Harm
Although the brief does not provide exact figures, it says “tens of thousands” of consumers “lost thousands of dollars with little or nothing to show for the investments.” That would put total losses into the tens of millions of dollars.” Yet the agreement does not include any direct financial relief for consumers who lost money.
Nor does the proposed settlement provide any relief for those currently trapped in existing contracts. The original lawsuit sought an option to rescind sales contracts for families caught up in the scheme. However, the amicus brief says, “While the agreement creates a rescission option for future borrowers, [it] does nothing for existing consumers stuck in predatory contracts.”
Also, “It does not address the harm to the borrowers who purchased lots believing that they would not flood only to find that they did, or those who are stuck with unhabitable, flooded lots…”
Hearing Details
The Honorable Judge Alfred H. Bennett of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas/Houston Division will rule on the issues raised in the brief on Friday, March 6, 2026.
Three lawyers from Washington DC who represent the advocacy groups will oppose the proposed settlement.
For those who want to observe, the Federal Courthouse is at 515 Rusk Avenue, Houston, TX. The hearing is reportedly in Courtroom 9A at 10:30.
For More Information
For more information and perspectives, see these statements published by:
Democracy Forward
National Consumer Law Center
National Fair Housing Alliance
Trautman Pepper Locke Law Firm
LULAC
National Fair Housing Alliance
Maria Acevedo, a Colony Ridge victim, also hopes to testify tomorrow as an individual. See her personal letter to the court.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/26
3110 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Reminder: SJRA Joint-Reservoir-Operations Meeting in Humble
3/4/26 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) will hold a meeting at the Humble Civic Center to solicit public input on its Joint-Reservoir-Operations Study. Please come:
Representatives from the SJRA, Coastal Water Authority, City of Houston, Humble, and the study consultant, Black & Veatch Engineering, will explain the study and field your questions. The meeting will feature informational tables where residents can talk with engineers one on one, plus a presentation.
According to Matt Barrett, PE, SJRA’s Water Resources and Flood Management Division Manager, “one of the main objectives of the study is to determine if there are any benefits to pre-releases from Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.”
Not an Easy Question
While that may seem obvious to flood victims, the question can get complicated. In involves an almost infinite number of weather scenarios, engineering variables and water-supply considerations. For instance:
In my mind, the question is not “if” pre-releases have a benefit, but “when.”
And that relates to a second objective of the study: to develop a flow forecasting tool for the entire river basin.
Accordingly, said Barrett, “The study will also consider the travel time of water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston, a factor that’s crucial in evaluation of pre-releases.”
Experience of Other River Basins
Coordinating pre-releases from multiple dams is not an unusual problem. Most rivers have more than one. For instance, multiple dams on the lower Colorado River help keep Austin from flooding.
There’s a well-established body of work showing that coordinating operations across multiple reservoirs can produce measurable flood-mitigation benefits. However, hydrology, travel times, and downstream constraints must align.
The big win is usually shaving peak flows. Engineers in other watersheds have seen flood-mitigation benefits when their studies identified operating rules that:
Make-or-break technical questions for the San Jacinto Watershed will likely include:
Bring your questions to the Civic Center.
Why is This Study Taking So Long?
The project was delayed by a change in plans in adding gates to the Lake Houston Dam. SJRA first applied for a grant to study synchronizing releases from the two dams back in 2020. However, after crest gates to the spillway portion of the dam proved infeasible, the City of Houston decided to study adding tainter gates to the earthen eastern portion of the dam.
That new study is now 30% complete. That’s far enough along to start making engineering decisions. But to complicate things even further, costs have escalated because of inflation. That raises some additional questions…and scenarios. How many gates can the City afford? Will they be able to keep up with releases from Lake Conroe? And will Black & Veatch even examine scenarios involving additional gates?
If history is any indication, you can bet that members from the Lake Conroe Association will be there to talk against pre-release. If you want your interests represented in this study, make sure you come tomorrow night. And make sure they include the scenarios in their study that represent your biggest concerns.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/4/26
3109 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Toth Continues Assaults on First Amendment, Human Rights, Common Sense
3/2/26 – In one of the most hotly contested primaries in recent memory, State Rep. Steve Toth is running against Congressman Dan Crenshaw in the newly redrawn Congressional District 2. I urge you to vote for Crenshaw who has consistently delivered flood-mitigation dollars for the Lake Houston Area. But that’s not the only reason.
Speech Suppression, Refusal to Debate, Lies, Black Money
Toth’s supporters have:
Toth himself has:
Negative Voting Record, Negative Campaigning
Mr. Toth tears down his opponent because he has virtually nothing positive to say about himself. Toth has one of the most negative voting records in the Texas Legislature.
Understanding what Toth voted NO on gives you deeper insight into the man and his values.
In 2025, Toth voted against flood mitigation, flood-warning systems, free speech, food banks, cybersecurity, conservation, grid reliability, open meetings, transparency, ethics, border security, fraud protections, and disclosure of campaign finance information.
Toth also voted against groups, such as law enforcement, first responders, consumers, patients, motorists, veterans, educators, CPAs, dentists, dental hygienists, farmers, restauranteurs, insurers, aviators, heath-care providers, seniors, schoolchildren, whistleblowers, correctional officers, manufacturers, attorneys, college students, utility employees, people who work from home, flood victims, crime victims, and rural Texans.
In the previous two legislatures, Toth voted AGAINST:
Toth voted against a majority of Republicans on every single one of these measures and hundreds more. On many of them, more than 90% of Republicans voted FOR the bills.
How Extremists Like Toth Can Hijack an Election
Voting NO so often helps Toth boost his conservative rating among some far right-leaning groups. But it also means, he has accomplished virtually nothing. He has nothing positive he can say about himself. He has NO record to run on. So, he tears down his opponent. That’s all he can do. And all he has done.
As of the end of two weeks of early voting, 8.1% of registered voters had voted. If half of those are Democrats, that means 4% of voters will determine the Republican candidate in CD-2 – unless YOU vote Tuesday, March 3rd.
Extremists like Toth represent a huge percentage of that 4%. The nut cases ALL vote.
Don’t let them determine your choices in November.
Please vote for Crenshaw if you want to continue seeing flood-mitigation improvements. He has brought hundreds of millions of flood-mitigation dollars to the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/2/26
3107 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.