Dr. Tina Petersen Archives - Reduce Flooding

Hidalgo Publicly Blasts HCFCD Leader: “I Just Lost My Confidence in You”

4/17/2026 – Harris County Commissioners Court erupted into open hostilities yesterday when County Judge Lina Hidalgo publicly blasted Dr. Tina Petersen, head of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). This issue had to do with the potential loss of close to a third of a billion dollars in federal Community Development Block Grants for disaster relief (CDBG-DR).

Specifically, Hidalgo received a status report on the endangered projects at 5:00 AM, just hours before the start of the meeting. Hidalgo said the report did not include status information and timelines that she had previously requested showing how the projects would be completed before deadlines.

“I would be embarrassed to show this to any member of the public,” said Hidalgo, “I’m totally baffled by this.” Before yielding the floor, Hidalgo added, “I just lost my confidence in you.”

Hidalgo holding up 2 year old timeline — *County Judge Lina Hidalgo holding up transmittal that arrived hours before commissioners court with 2-year-old timeline.*

Petersen tried to be apologetic. She said she misunderstood what the Judge requested. Hidalgo retorted, “How do you NOT know this, Director? I spoke with you directly.”

What Commissioners Court Requested

The discussion had to do with two items on the agenda – #300 and #366.

#300. Request for discussion and possible action regarding the status of the Harris County Flood Control District’s CDBG-MIT and CDBG-DR programs, including updates on the project-level schedule. These updates must include a timeline with benchmarks for all projects and information on how they will meet the necessary deadlines.
#366. Transmittal by the Flood Control District on project status updates for the CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT programs.

What Commissioners Received

HCFCD submitted two reports, neither of which the public could see. However, I have since obtained them. The first shows a timeline. But it stops in 2024. In fairness, it also shows a table that indicates the current “phase” of each project. But that wasn’t enough for Hidalgo. She said, “I ask for a timeline and what I see here is the timeline between February 2018 and July 2024. That already passed!”

*The two-year-old timeline in HCFCD report to Commissioners Court*

Here is the other report. It contains a table showing when projects were amended into HCFCD’s contract with the Texas General Land Office, which administers HUD funds in Texas. With one exception, the dates range from 2024 to 2025.

Hidalgo: “There’s not a project-by-project summary here!”

Petersen: “So, what’s the point?”

“The public is seeing that we might miss the deadline and you’re saying, here’s the deadline. How is that helping, Director?”
Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge

Hidalgo continued, “People have been waiting for these projects. We report the projects are behind and you’re not providing anything that provides any sort of assurance to the community, much less to me, that you’re on track.”

“I requested a timeline that showed where we are, what the deadlines are, and what we’re going to do to meet those deadlines,” she added.

“We secured this money back in 2021. I don’t know at what point we got behind, but it’s well past time for there to be a clear timeline. And so, I am really demanding that, Director.”

Ramsey Concerns

Earlier in the discussion, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, addressed many of the same issues but more diplomatically.

Ramsey focused on specific deficiencies in Petersen’s reports. He expressed desire to see accurate construction estimates and pointed out two errors totaling approximately $15 million.

He also emphasized the need to communicate clear project start times, duration and completion dates. “None of those can be left blank,” he said.

Ramsey lamented the fact that projects were reported by Bond IDs, not individual projects. (A bond ID can contain multiple projects, masking project delays.)

He also lamented that HCFCD has taken up to TWO YEARS to execute new contracts. “You just can’t do that,” he said.

Ramsey also wanted the “percentage of completion” of construction, because that’s “what the GLO needs.” He then proposed a three-part motion, laying out exactly what the Court and GLO want to see.

Ramsey Motion Passes Unanimously

Ramsey’s motion says:

“I move that the Harris County Flood Control District provides Commissioners Court with monthly project-level schedules and financial reporting for all CDBG-DR and -MIT flood mitigation projects. The monthly report shall include, for each project, the:

Estimated design completion date
Estimated construction start date (and actual start of construction when applicable)
Total expected construction duration in calendar days
Estimated construction completion date
Total project budget
Amount encumbered
Bid award amount
Amount spent to date
Any project delays.

“I further move that HCFCD will submit this information in a consistent monthly format that clearly identifies any schedule changes, delays, or financial variances from the prior month, so that Commissioners Court can exercise meaningful oversight and ensure transparency in project delivery.

“I further move that the first monthly report will be due on May 1, 2026, and all other monthly reports will be due on the third Monday of every month thereafter.”

The motion carried unanimously.

Briones Reaction

Precinct 4 Commissioner Briones agreed with Ramsey and his motion. She felt information was crucial to the success of the CDBG program.

Ellis Reaction

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said, “Judgment day is coming soon.” He asked Petersen what she would have done differently, but she dodged his question.

He ended by saying, “I’m keeping my fingers crossed; but I’m very concerned.”

Garcia Reaction

In contrast, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia was full of sunshine. He blamed delays on the previous administration.

For More Information

To see video of the entire discussion, go to this page on the Harris County website. Click on Departments 3 of 3. Then scroll forward to approximately 4:13:40.

Click on the tab in the right hand panel to see a transcript of the discussion.

For a history of the CDBG projects, search ReduceFlooding.com using “CDBG”.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/17/2026

3153 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.

Ramsey Sounds Alarm Over Deadline That Could Cost County $250 Million

1/9/2026 – On 1/8/2026, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey put Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) on notice that he is concerned about HCFCD’s ability to meet state and federal grant deadlines for an estimated quarter billion dollars of flood control projects. Missing the deadlines could possibly result in the loss of funding.

Ramsey cautioned the court, “If we don’t meet the deadline, $250 million is at risk.”

Ramsey said he plans to discuss the progress of the projects in every Commissioners Court meeting between now and the February 28, 2027, deadline.

The projects are being funded by Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR). The grants originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but are administered by the Texas General Land Office. Project deadlines have already been extended twice and HCFCD has been warned in writing not to ask for more extensions.

The eleven CDBG-DR projects include:

*Status from HCFCD as of 1/9/26. Estimated grant values from GLO as of 10/25.* *SWDB means stormwater detention basin. CCI means channel conveyance improvements, i.e., widening*, *deepening and/or lining with concrete.*

Ramsey’s estimate of $250 million at risk differs from the total grant value of $322 million. He must conservatively assume that at least some of the projects can be completed and are therefore not at risk. However, he didn’t say which he thought were safe.

Typical Timetables

It typically takes 3-4 months to advertise a project for bids, approve the winning bidder, and sign the contract. Once the contractor mobilizes for the job, it can easily take another year or more to complete it. For example, the Mercer Basin on Cypress Creek was started in 2022 on an expedited basis. It was expected to take a year. But it was not yet complete at the end of 2025. So you can see Ramsey’s concern.

In contrast, most of these projects will have less than a year for construction unless HUD grants another extension. In the past, Commissioners have expressed reservations about starting projects they may not have money to complete.

Flood Control’s Reaction to Concerns

Regardless, Flood Control District Executive Director Tina Petersen expressed confidence that she could make the February 2027 deadline.

She thanked Commissioner Adrian Garcia for the recognition that HCFCD is getting seven projects amended into the GLO’s Action Plan. But those are CDBG-Mitigation projects, not CDBG-Disaster Relief projects, which have a much tighter deadline.

Without distinguishing the difference, she then segued to Disaster Relief. She thanked Garcia again for recognizing that the Brookglen bid had just been approved. Brookglen IS a DR project.

She then addressed Ramsey’s concern. “We do have a plan for moving forward with the remainder of the projects,” said Petersen without offering specifics. “Right now, we have four projects out for bid that were originally supposed to be going out this month, but we were successful in expediting the schedule and pushing fast and pushing hard with the cooperation of our purchasing director to get those out in December.”

Petersen continued, “So, we are moving ahead of schedule right now. We have an additional, I believe, five projects left to get out in Quarter One. And right now, we are on track to do so.”

*Dr. Tina Petersen, Executive Director of HCFCD, addressing Commissioners Court on deadline issue.*

Petersen Points to Process Improvements

Petersen then shifted the discussion to process improvements. “We are working closely to identify places where we’re having challenges and then working collaboratively to make sure that we chase those issues down.”

She specifically mentioned how she was working with the county’s purchasing department to speed up the bidding and approval process and pointed to Item 132 on the agenda. It gives authority to the purchasing agent to award construction contracts to the lowest responsible bidder for 29 CDBG-DR and -MIT projects.

“Every day, every week that we can save in this process makes a difference,” said Petersen. “We think that … will save us between 2 and 6 weeks, and that will matter to us.”

“Every Single Day Could Make a Difference”

Garcia put a finer point on it. He said, “Every single day could make a difference.”

Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones thanked Petersen for her efforts, but also said, “Every time I see you, Doctor Petersen, I feel like there’s a clock ticking in my head.”

This is the best drama in town.

During the meeting yesterday, it became clear that Ramsey was frustrated with the operation and efficiency of many county departments. He wants no more excuses or finger pointing. And he’s doing whatever he can to keep the county from losing that CDBG-DR money.

In a separate phone call Ramsey said, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do. Tell me what you’ve done. Bid the jobs!”

HCFCD started working on these projects in 2022. But only one is now under construction. With only 13 months left to move millions of cubic yards of dirt, Petersen claims HCFCD is “ahead of schedule,” Incredibly, 9 of 11 projects have still not been awarded to contractors.

To see video of this discussion in Commissioners Court, go to https://harriscountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/371451. Then click on Emergency Supplemental Items, Part 2 of 2 and scroll to 1:44:30 for the start of the discussion.

Part of a Broader Slowdown

The Flood Control District listed only thirteen items on its part of the agenda for the January 8 meeting.

Three had to do with interlocal agreements
Three dealt with CenterPoint agreements
Two dealt with contract modifications
Three dealt with buyouts of individual properties
One had to do with safety
One delegated authority to Harris County Purchasing to award construction contracts to the lowest responsible bidder for 29 CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT projects (Item 132 mentioned above).

After passage of the flood bond in 2018, HCFCD routinely had 80+ items on the agenda. But then in 2021, the Democratic majority on Commissioners Court made a management change. And the rate of project execution has slowed ever since.

*From https://www.hcfcd.org/Activity*. *Data goes through end of 2025.* *Current rate is less than half of peak.*

Now is the time for Dr. Petersen to show that she’s worth her $434,000 annual salary. Can she save a quarter billion dollars? Only time will tell. Now comes the real heavy lifting.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/9/26

3055 Days since 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.

Harris County Commissioners to Discuss Future of Flood Bond on Thursday

9/14/25 – On Thursday, 9/18/25, Harris County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss the future of the 2018 Flood Bond. Again.

Item 117 on the agenda says, “Request for discussion and possible action regarding a report from the Flood Control District related to the 2018 Bond Program.” Unfortunately, no report is attached to the agenda. Reportedly, it is not yet ready.

What’s the Problem?

Rumors of potential shortfalls in bond funding started in 2021. Compound inflation since the start of the flood bond has reduced the purchasing power of flood-bond dollars approximately 25-30%.

That raises many questions: Do we have enough money to finish all the bond projects? If not, whose projects will be cut? What happens if you start construction, but don’t have money to finish it? Should we kill projects in some areas to construct projects in others?

No easy answers exist. Harris County Flood Control District, Engineering, the County Administrator and County Budget Director have tried all year to answer commissioners’ questions and have been meeting weekly for months to work out a plan that everyone can agree on.

Multiple Delays since February

On February 6, 2025, fireworks erupted in Commissioners Court over the inability to get data that could inform decisions about Subdivision-Drainage and Flood-Bond projects. Commissioners called it a “major crisis” and “an abysmal failure.”

They asked Dr. Tina Petersen, executive director of Harris County Flood Control, to come back in March with answers. But March turned into May, May into June, then July and August. And now, here we are in September.

What Commissioners Asked For

In February, Commissioners asked HCFCD to work with the County Engineer, Administrator and Budget Director to return to court on March 27 with “proposed options and recommendations using any and all county resources for closing the shortfall.” The analysis was to have included:

The entire program including all projects completed
Projects under construction with any potential changes in contract
Active projects awaiting funding
Remaining available funds for all projects now that the project budgets have been increased.

However, the departments could not produce the data by March 27. So, Commissioners gave them until May 8. This time, commissioners asked for:

Status of each project in the bond
Expected time to completion
How cost has changed over time
Whether there was a change in scope
Sources of funding

The May presentation slipped to June. Petersen still didn’t have a clear plan, but she hinted at a potential $1.3 billion shortfall. That’s a quarter of all funds raised to date – either through the bond or partner contributions.

No mention of shortfall in bond updates — *In June, Petersen alluded to $1.3 billion shortfall* *in testimony to Commissioners.*

Flood Control and the head engineers of each precinct have met weekly since then in an effort to identify a plan that everyone can agree to. The fact that the plan wasn’t attached to the agenda suggests they may not have agreed on it yet.

Uncertainty, Delays Could Jeopardize Additional Funding

Meanwhile, the uncertainty and delays could jeopardize even more funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office (GLO).

In 2021, GLO Commissioner George P. Bush announced a $1.1 billion allocation of HUD funds for flood mitigation and disaster relief in Harris County.

But that money is available on a reimbursement basis only…after the County completes approved projects.

Out of that that money, the deadline expires on $327 million in February 2027. That leaves little time to actually build the 11 associated disaster-relief projects before the deadline.

The Mercer Basin now under construction is similar to those. It was supposed to take a year to build on an expedited basis. We are now at two years and counting. Construction is far from complete.

And the last of the 11 projects isn’t even scheduled to go out for BID until the SECOND quarter of next year.

No Good Options

Since February, Commissioners floated one possible option to deal with a shortfall. They voted to focus remaining funding only on the top quartile of projects in the bond when ranking them using the County’s 2022 Equity Prioritization Framework.

However, they later amended that vote because it would have potentially defunded projects that already had partnership dollars allocated to them.

I expect a lot of wailing and wringing of hands on Thursday. Unless they postpone the discussion again.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/14/25

2938 Days since Hurricane Harvey

San Jacinto Greenway Officially Opens

Today, Saturday, April 15, 2023, marked a milestone in the recovery of the Lake Houston Area from Hurricane Harvey.

The San Jacinto Greenway, a gorgeous linear park with hike and bike trails, has replaced the Riverview Townhome complex so utterly destroyed by floodwaters in Forest Cove. At exactly 12:16 and 21 seconds, more than a dozen City, County, State, Federal, School Board, Houston Parks Board, Flood Control and Forest Cove officials officially cut a symbolic bright green ribbon to open the first 2.5 mile segment of the new San Jacinto West Fork Greenway.

The event had something for just about everyone:

Speakers who put the event in perspective
Free tacos from El Jimador, a local restaurant on Hamblen Road.
Refreshments
A DJ spinning tunes
The award-winning Riverwood Middle School cheer squad
Shaded picnic tables
Abundant sunshine

It had the feeling of a cross between a small-town festival and a Hallmark movie.

Neighbors greeted old friends. Proud parents showed off babies. Officials up for re-election pressed the flesh. And everyone, it seemed, took selfies with everyone else.

People Refusing to Accept Defeat

An almost audible sigh of relief hung in the air. Today was about people who refused to accept defeat. Who fought together to rebuild their community after 240,000 cubic feet per second swept some entire townhome complexes off their foundations.

Riverview townhome — *Photo of townhome one year after Harvey in 2018. Imagine this times 80.*

There were dark days during the seemingly endless buyout phase of the project when everything felt so hopeless. What remained of the townhomes became a magnet for arson, drug dealing, illegal dumping and graffiti.

At times it felt like the blight might never go away. But it did. Beautiful triumphed over bleak. And this morning, despite overnight thunderstorms, not a leaf was out of place and a community stood tall once again.

*Award-Winning Riverwood Middle School Cheer Team*

*Crowd mingling among booths early in the event.*

*Houston* *Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin (left) and Humble ISD School Board Member Robert Scarfo*

*Beth White, President & CEO, Houston Parks Board, introduced speakers and explained how the project came to be*, *including a hefty grant from the Kinder Foundation.*

*No chairs? No problem! Just pull up some pavement.*

*Dr. Tina Petersen, Executive Director of Harris County Flood Control District talked about the buyouts, FEMA, and how this area will remain green in perpetuity.*

*A guided bicycle tour of the trail system attracted families, teens and retirees.*

*Meanwhile, some people decided to explore the new San Jacinto Greenway on their own in the other direction.*

Harris County Precinct 3 will reportedly finish pushing the San Jacinto Greenway through to Edgewater Park at US59, but has not announced a timetable yet. More news to follow when that becomes available.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/15/2023

2055 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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