Town Hall Meeting Thursday at 6:30 Will Cover Wide Variety of Topics

Houston City Council Member Dave Martin will host a town hall meeting tomorrow, Thursday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. It will be at the Kingwood Community Center, 4102 Rustic Woods, Kingwood, TX 77345. Hear from city and community representatives about news related to the Kingwood and Lake Houston areas of District E. 

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner at Kingwood town hall meeting in October of 2018. Flooding was a hot topic then and even hotter now.

List of Speakers and Topics

  • Texas State Senator Brandon Creighton will kick off the town hall meeting, providing an update on Proposition 8 and sand-mining legislation. 
  • Mayor Sylvester Turner will attend.
  • Stephen Costello, City of Houston Chief Recovery Officer, will update residents on the progress of projects such as additional Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project (Flood Gates) and dredging. 
  • Houston Public Works and the Coastal Water Authority will address the Lake Houston Dam Maintenance Project. It’s why the lake will be one foot below normal through next November.
  • Stan Sarman, TIRZ 10 board chair, will discuss the Northpark Drive Mobility Improvement Project. 
  • Chuck Gilman, San Jacinto River Authority Director of Flood Management, will address the regional watershed study.
  • Chip Place from the Houston Parks Board will update residents on the Bayou Greenways 2020 project along the San Jacinto River. 
  • Texas Department of Transportation will update residents on the Loop 494 expansion project. 

Information About Kingwood Docks and More

Those who arrive early can browse information stations starting at 6:00 p.m. hosted by:

  • Lovett Commercial (Kingwood Docks)
  • Houston Public Works
  • Houston Police Department Kingwood Division
  • Houston Permitting Center to assist residents with questions related to storm damage repairs and rebuilding. 

Tables will remain open after the town hall meeting for those who arrive late.

For more information, please contact Council Member Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.

Posted by Bob Rehak on October 16, 2019

778 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 27 since Imelda

Tropical Formation Chances Increased Again Overnight, But Track Still Likely East of Houston

A tropical disturbance located over the extreme SW Gulf of Mexico now has a 50% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next 5 days. At this time there is, still no threat to the Texas coast. 

A trough of low pressure that was in Central America yesterday, moved across the Yucatan overnight as predicated. It now is just offshore of the coast of southern Mexico, in the Bay of Campeche and producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

Guidance from National Hurricane Center

The National Hurricane Center predicts possible gradual development. They say that a tropical or subtropical cyclone could form late this week over the western or central Gulf of Mexico while the system moves generally northeastward. An Air Force reconnaissance aircraft will investigate the system this afternoon, if necessary.

Formation chance through 48 hours…low…30 percent. Formation chance through 5 days…medium…50 percent.

24 hours ago, the comparable numbers were 0 and 10.

Disturbance in Bay of Campeche now has a 5-day 50% chance of tropical formation.

The Story Behind the Storm

Conditions appear favorable for slow development of this system because of upper level wind patterns and warm sea surface temperatures. An area of high pressure over the SE Gulf of Mexico will direct this feature toward the N and then NNE by late this week.

At the same time an approaching trough from the SW US will move toward west Texas by late in the weekend should force any tropical system to turn NE/ENE. Global model guidance supports a track of any tropical system toward the central or eastern Gulf of Mexico this weekend. Here’s a map that shows the expected location of the front two days from now. Note how the front pushes that orange line toward the NE.

Expected frontal location two days from now should push any tropical disturbance toward the NE.

Given the expected upper level shear across the northern Gulf of Mexico this weekend any system will likely have the majority of the weather near and far to the east of any actual surface circulation. That means people in Louisiana and east of there should get out their umbrellas. Houston will likely be on the dry side of the storm.

Keep your eyes on the Gulf any time a storm forms. Remember that Harvey originated in this same general area and forecasters predicted it to move inland over Mexico. It did…for a while.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/16/2019, with help from the National Hurricane Center and Harris County Flood Control

778 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 27 since Imelda

You May Have Group Flood Insurance and Not Even Realize It

People who receive individual assistance from FEMA after a disaster such as Harvey are required to have flood insurance. But some people who cannot afford flood insurance become covered under a group flood insurance policy and may not even realize it.

Flooded During Harvey and Again in Imelda

In the last two weeks, I visited numerous people along the East Fork and Caney Creek in less fortunate neighborhoods. They flooded in Harvey and then again during Imelda. For these people, the devastation is especially crushing because they could not afford flood insurance…or so they told me.

Home below Triple PG Sand Mine in Walden Woods between Caney and White Oak Creeks was almost knocked off its foundation during Imelda and suffered extensive damage.

Almost all of the people I interviewed have tried to rebuild homes out of pocket as money becomes available. Some do the work themselves to make money stretch further. They are also trying to replace vehicles lost in floods. For these folks, recovering from the second flood in two years is like climbing a financial Mt. Everest.

Group Vs. Individual Flood Insurance Policies

However, Dianne Innes Cooper, who used to work for FEMA, made me aware of their Group Flood Insurance Policies. Then Kaaren Cambio, Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s assistant, made some calls to FEMA to explore who is eligible.

In short, if you flooded during Harvey, received FEMA Individual Assistance (IA), and flooded again, you are most likely covered under a group flood insurance policy. You may be entitled to benefits even if you didn’t know about the policy.

Here is a FEMA Fact Sheet that discusses the ins and outs of Group Flood Insurance. There are several eligibility requirements, so check the sheet carefully.

Some key facts from the fact sheet:

  • The 36-month Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) begins 60 days after the Presidential Disaster Declaration.
  • The flood insurance is transferrable to people who may buy the property, but not subsequent renters.
  • Applicants do NOT receive a copy of the actual policy, just a certificate of coverage.
  • Applicants do NOT have the ability to decline the GFIP.
  • People who accept SBA loans are NOT eligible for a FEMA-purchased GFIP certificate.
  • After the Group policy expires, you need to purchase individual insurance to continue coverage.

Most people who flooded during Harvey and again during Imelda would still be covered under a GFIP issued after Harvey.

For More Information and to Verify Coverage

If it sounds like you might be covered under a group policy, but aren’t sure, you can verify coverage. FEMA lists a hotline for disaster assistance: (800) 621-FEMA (3362).

Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s office can also make inquiries for you. However, before the Congressman can help, you must download and fill out a FEMA Privacy Release Form.

Kaaren Cambio from Congressman Crenshaw’s office will be at the FEMA meeting at the Kingwood Community Center tonight starting at 6:30. You can also call or email her at the Congressman’s office during normal business hours.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/15/2019, with thanks to Dianne Cooper and Kaaren Cambio

777 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 26 after Imelda.