glo Archives - Page 2 of 7 - Reduce Flooding

With Grant Deadlines Approaching, Bid Deadlines Are Slipping

9/16/2025 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) could soon be caught in a time squeeze.

Deadlines are fast approaching on hundreds of millions of dollars in grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Yet HCFCD is pushing projected start dates for those projects further into the future. So, there may not be enough time to complete the jobs.

“As a rule of thumb, it typically takes two years to build a detention basin. But HCFCD has left itself with only approximately a year to build many with urgent deadlines.”
Construction Expert

And further deadline extensions likely will not be granted. When HUD granted HCFCD an extension on 10 of the 29 projects, HUD’s letter said, in essence, not to bother asking for another extension. A GLO spokesperson said, “The GLO doesn’t have the statutory authority to override HUD.”

Status of Grants and Deadlines

Yesterday, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released the status of the 29 grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They currently total $862.6 million.

The 29 grants fall into two categories: Disaster Relief (DR) and Mitigation (MIT).

HCFCD has an immovable deadline of February 28, 2027 for all Disaster Relief grants. That’s just 17 months away. And 9 out of the 10 that have not yet started won’t even go out for bids until next year. And one of those will be bid in the third quarter of next year, likely leaving only a few months to complete the $9 million project.

Let’s discuss the DR projects first. See the first group below.

*For a printable, high-res PDF, click here.*

Of the 11 projects in the Disaster Relief group, ten have already been approved and amended into the County’s contract. But only one has started construction. All the others haven’t even been bid yet. And won’t be for months.

Seven of Ten Remaining DR Projects Show Slippage in Bid Schedules

HCFCD periodically publishes “bid outlooks.” They tell potential contractors when HCFCD intends to advertise projects for bidding.

Comparing the June and August project bidding schedules shows that…

Seven of the remaining 10 have slipped three to nine months … in two months.
See table below.

*Dates compiled from HCFCD Bid Outlooks for June and August (published in September).*

How do you get this far and not have projects ready to bid immediately after approval? An HCFCD spokesperson said, “It’s quite a layered process” with approvals from other authorities, too, i.e., for environmental studies.

Regardless, only 17 months remain before an already extended deadline.

According to a GLO spokesperson, when HUD granted the deadline extension, the letter granting the extension basically said, “Don’t ask for another.” The GLO spokesperson also confirmed that GLO did not have statutory authority to grant an extension against HUD’s ruling.

So is there time to complete the Disaster Relief projects?

Arbor Oaks Project Illustrates Difficulty of Deadline

Only 17 months remain to bid and build 10 DR projects. And it typically takes 3 to 6 months just to:

Advertise a project for bids
Secure and review the bids
Get commissioners court to approve the bids
Finalize the contract
Issue a “notice to proceed”
Mobilize crews

That leaves roughly a year to build the projects. But the ten listed above could have even less time because of slippage in the bidding schedules.

Only one CDBG-DR job has started construction already: the Arbor Oaks Stormwater Detention Basin in White Oak Bayou’s watershed.

Commissioners Court approved the job for bidding on 5/8/2025.
HCFCD awarded the contract on 6/26/2025.
As of yesterday afternoon, the contractor was still mulching trees – more than 4 months after the job was first advertised.

No dirt has been removed yet. The pictures below show how the project looked on 9/16/2025.

*Former Arbor Oaks subdivision near White Oak Bayou*

*Extent of clearing on 9/16/2025. Concrete removal was supposed to start yesterday, but* did not by 2PM.

*The only activity on the site was tree clearing/mulching.*

The diagram below shows what contractors still must build.

*Two dry-bottom and two wet-bottom basins* *will provide 221 acre-feet of stormwater storage.* *That’s a lot of dirt to move!*

If HCFCD misses that February 28, 2027 deadline, the county could be on the hook for up to $34.2 million in HUD funds. And because that project got the earliest start, it has the highest likelihood of beating the deadline. What about other projects that won’t even be bid until there’s less than a year to bid and build them?

Not far away, the Mercer Basin on Cypress Creek was supposed to take one year to build on an expedited basis. However, it’s now taken two years and could take another half year to complete.

Mitigation Projects Have Deadlines, Too

Because the DR projects have the most immediate deadlines, everyone has been focusing on those first. But the second group of 18 MIT projects also have deadlines.

All MIT funding allocated to the State of Texas after Hurricane must be turned into HUD by January 1, 2033. But the GLO needs 18 months to complete paperwork and package documentation for thousands of projects for HUD’s audit. So, the deadline for sub-recipients, such as HCFCD is July 1, 2031.

But there’s another wrinkle that puts even more pressure on sub-recipients to start projects soon. HUD wants the State to spend half the funds by January 1, 2027 – two months BEFORE the DR deadline.

How Real are the Deadlines?

There seem to be two different views of deadlines.

HCFCD’s current management, like a former Mayor of Houston, appears to believe that deadlines can be indefinitely extended.

The GLO views them as a contractual obligation, which if violated, could result in the taxpayers of Texas footing the bill for unnecessary delays.

According to the GLO, HUD changed its way of doing business after previous disasters such as Hurricane Ike, when some funds sat unused for years. So, after Harvey, HUD adopted, in essence, a “use it or lose it” policy with strict deadlines. Not everyone has gotten that message yet.

The potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for flood mitigation could make voters very unhappy.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/18/2025

2941 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.

Mercer Basin Illustrates Risks of HCFCD Slowdown for Quarter Billion in HUD Funding

8/8/25 – The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin at FM1960 and the Hardy Tollroad along Cypress Creek illustrates the difficulty HCFCD will face as it attempts to build 11 comparable basins in the next year and a half.

The Mercer Basin, originally projected to take one year – on an expedited schedule – has taken more than two years already and is still many more months from completion.

If HCFCD maintains that pace for the other basins, it could miss a critical U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deadline.

HUD Funds Come with Expiration Date

In June this year, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) received approval of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) grants to build 11 stormwater detention basins worth $326 million.

One (Arbor Oaks) is already in construction. But ten more projects valued at $289 million remain to be bid. Is there enough time to complete them before HUD’s immovable February 28, 2027, deadline?

The next ten basins don’t have 2.5 years. So unless HCFCD picks up its pace, low-to-moderate income areas across Harris County could lose a quarter billion dollars in funding. They can’t afford that.

Neither can areas like Lake Houston. Because Commissioners Court will start cancelling projects here to divert funds to the areas that lost grants.

Huge Difference Between Original and Actual Timeline

At 512 acre feet, the Mercer Basin is slightly larger than average. Construction experts tell me that a basin that size should take a year to build. And, in fact, that was the estimate Rodney Ellis gave a community meeting.

*From Rodney Ellis presentation to Community on June 29, 2022.*

But the project slid from the git-go. The county didn’t advertise it to potential bidders until 8/4/23. Then it took HCFCD four months to select a winning bid and issue a “notice to proceed” to the contractor.

Photos Taken 8/8/25 Show Construction Still Far From Complete

And the job, which was supposed to be finished a year ago this week, is still in construction. Worse, construction may not finish this year, according to a contractor I talked to who saw the pictures below.

*Looking W at South Mercer detention basin at FM1960 and Hardy. FM1960 on left*.

*Looking S toward FM1960 at same basin. Hardy Tollroad in upper right.*

*Looking N at balancing culvert between two Mercer basins*

*North basin is closer to completion but still not done.*

*It appears contractors are still installing backslope interceptor swales and drain pipes.*

*Looking S at both basins with Cypress Creek snaking through frame from right to left.*

Mercer Took 2X Longer than Predicted – So Far

From the invitation to bid to today has been 735 days – five days more than 2 years!

Even if all CDBG-DR projects in play went out for bids tomorrow, only 569 days remain until the ultimate, immovable deadline of Feb. 28, 2027. Even worse…

According to HCFCD’s latest bid schedule, 8 of 10 projects on HUD’s list won’t even go out for bid for another 2 to 10 months.
Lastest HCFCD Bid Outlook, Release 6/6/25

Here are HCFCD’s projected bid dates.

So, to summarize:

Mercer should have taken a year to finish from the invitation to bid, but has taken two years and could take another half year.
The other DR projects will have 18 months, but could take another 2 to 10 months before they even start bidding.

You can see the concerns. No margin for error. No weather delays allowed. And HCFCD still might not have enough time to complete projects.

George P. Bush announced this money was coming to Harris County more than four years ago when he was still commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. It took HCFCD (and the Harris County Community Services Department) four years to figure out how they wanted to spend the money he allocated. Now they’re leaving 18 months or less to actually build the projects.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/2025

2901 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.

HCFCD to Unveil Final Design of Woodridge/Taylor Gully Project on July 1

6/20/25 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has announced that it will unveil the final design of the Woodridge/Taylor Gully Project in Kingwood on July 1. Based on preliminary engineering, HCFCD applied to the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office for a grant of $42 million to cover the cost of construction.

HCFCD will reveal the final design in a virtual public meeting at 6:30 PM on July 1, 2025. Sign up here to attend the webinar.

History of Woodridge/Taylor Gully Project

According to long-time residents, Taylor Gully never flooded, even during Harvey, until Perry Homes purchased and cleared the 270-acre Woodridge Village property immediately north of Sherwood Trails, Elm Grove and Mills Branch Villages. The property, just across the county line in Montgomery County, forms the headwaters of Taylor Gully and used to be heavily forested.

But shortly after Perry’s contractors started clearing the property, hundreds of homes along Taylor Gully flooded twice in 2019.

Rustling Elms Bridge over Taylor Gully in May 2019 — *Rustling Elms near Taylor Gully in May of 2019*

Engineering documents specified that the contractors should have cleared the property in sections and built detention basins for each section before moving onto the next. However, the contractors clearcut the whole property and sloped it toward the homes that flooded before building the required detention.

The fiasco turned into a giant class-action lawsuit. During the lawsuit, Perry’s contractors scrambled to build the stormwater detention basins. However, it also became clear that the detention they were building was about 30-40% short of Atlas-14 standards which Montgomery County had not yet adopted.

County/City Purchase Property from Perry

HCFCD and the City of Houston purchased the property from Perry to keep it from being developed. Early on, they announced plans to turn it into a giant regional stormwater detention basin to reduce flood risk.

Preliminary-engineering plans later recommended:

Building another stormwater detention basin on Woodridge Village holding 412 acre-feet (virtually doubling capacity).
Expanding a portion of Taylor Gully and lining it with concrete.
Replacing the culverts at Rustling Elms with a clear-span bridge.

HCFCD entered into an Excavation and Removal Contract with Sprint Sand and Clay to get a head start on excavating the new Woodridge Basin. However, when HCFCD applied for HUD funding, by law, they had to terminate the contract. That happened at the end of 2023. Why? Conditions on the property can’t change while the GLO and HUD evaluate grants. It’s a fraud prevention measure.

Generic Differences Between Preliminary and Final Design Recommendations

During preliminary engineering, managers try to prove up the value of a concept. But along the way to final design, they sharpen their pencils.

As a project progresses from concept to constructible plans, typically they tighten and incorporate:

Hydraulic and Hydrologic Modeling – with higher resolution topography, updated rainfall data, and detailed channel/basin geometry.
Right-of-Way and Easements – Whereas preliminary layouts assume general access needs, final design incorporates, precise right-of-way limits, utility conflicts, coordination with surrounding landowners, and legal descriptions for acquisition and/or dedication.
Geotechnical Investigations – Soil borings for slope-stability analyses for embankments, groundwater-level monitoring, channel linings, etc.
Structural-Design Finalization – Including sizes, materials, and load capacities for bridges , weirs and detention outlet structures.
Environmental and Permitting Integration
Cost Estimate Updates – Whereas preliminary estimates often have ±30 accuracy, final design includes detailed quantities, updates unit costs and construction phasing for more precise budgets and schedules.
Constructability and Value Engineering – Engineers and sometimes contractors look for ways simplify/reconfigure designs that lower costs.
Utility Coordination – Precise identification of existing utilities (water, sewer, fiber, gas) along with plans to relocate them if necessary or change design.
Public Involvement and Stakeholder Feedback – Where we are now. Feedback sometimes results in design modifications for aesthetics, access, noise or neighborhood concerns. It might also be valuable for inclusion of trails, parks or other recreational elements.

HCFCD has not yet released any of the specific changes between their preliminary and final plans for this property.

Rustic Elms Bridge on Taylor Gully — *Preliminary plans called for replacing these culverts at Rustling Elms and Taylor Gully with a clear-span bridge like the one farther downstream.*

HCFCD Hopes to Bid by October

According to HCFCD spokesperson Emily Woodell, “We’re wrapping up design for this project, which is what we plan to cover at the community engagement meeting. Based on current project schedules, this is set to go out for bid for construction contracts in October of this year.”

“We’re planning to amend this into the overall contract with the General Land Office in the very near future, which will allow us to draw grant funds. None of the design work has been funded by CDBG, it was all locally funded. Grant funds will be used for construction.”

HCFCD urges community members to attend the virtual meeting. Remember, it’s:

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Starting at 6:30 PM

If you have suggestions after seeing the plans, now is the time to share them. So sign up now.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/20/25

2852 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Briefs Community on Last Cypress Creek Major Maintenance Project

6/27/25 – In a virtual public meeting tonight, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) briefed the public on the last Cypress Creek Major Maintenance Project associated with the 2018 Flood Bond. The project name: Cypress Creek Channel Rehabilitation and Stormwater Detention Basin, Main Stem, Batch 5.

Batch 5 consists of two smaller packages:

Channel Rehab at Kuykendahl and the Cypress Hill Stormwater Detention Basin, expected completion by Q4 2027.
Channel Rehab near I-45 and the first phase of the Senger Stormwater Detention Basin, completed by Q2 2028.

Cypress Creek Batch 5 — *From HCFCD.org*

Currently, HCFCD is finalizing design for both packages. They expect to complete design by July 2025 and advertise it for bids beginning in Q2 of 2026.

Batch 5 consists of channel repairs for 1.4 miles of the creek and its tributaries, plus two major detention basins that together will hold 631 acre feet.

All Flood Control District projects receiving U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Develop Block Grant mitigation funds must be completed by March 31st, 2028.

During the channel repairs, HCFCD says it will make the side slopes of channels less steep to minimize future erosion.

About Cypress Creek and Repairs

The first four batches of repairs restored approximately 24 miles of Cypress Creek and its tributaries. HCFCD has completed Batches 1-3 and Batch 4 is still in progress. Estimated completion for Batch 4: Q1 2026.

Cypress Creek is a highly developed watershed located in northwest Harris County. It extends into Waller County. The watershed comprises 267 square miles, making it one of the county’s larger watersheds. It has 250 miles of open channels including Cypress Creek itself.

During Hurricane Harvey, 29 inches of rain fell across the watershed, damaging more than 9,500 structures.

No Adverse Impact Allowed Downstream

This is the fifth of five major maintenance programs along Cypress Creek associated with the 2018 Flood Bond.

The detention basins are actually designed to mitigate the channel rehabilitation work. Specifically, the channel rehabilitation work will speed floodwater up. The basins will offset that by slowing floodwaters down and reducing the volume in the creek.

As one presenter tonight pointed out, “The flood control district is a “no-adverse-impact” agency. That means we do not allow our projects to reduce flooding risks for one area, while increasing risks somewhere else. That’s why stormwater detention basins are often built before or at the same time as channel conveyance improvements or channel rehabilitation to prevent any unintended impacts downstream.”

The detention basins will hold enough water to cover a football field to a depth of 478 feet.

Getting Closer to Lake Houston Area

Batch 5 includes two separate packages. One is near Kuykendahl.

And the other is near I-45.

HCFCD should hear from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and HUD on funding soon. The District submitted a grant application for almost $54 million that is still under review (as of 6/7/25) by GLO.

Project Benefits

The District was a little hazy about the benefits. Of course, this is a maintenance program, not a capital improvement program.

A spokesperson said, “Pre-Atlas-14 100-year design storm models show a water-surface elevation reduction of up to one foot near the I-45 project limits” for the Kuykendahl package.

Altogether, HCFCD estimates the benefit area of this project will include nearly 40,000 people, who either live near and/or commute through the area.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/17/2025

2849 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Releases Status of Disaster-Relief, Flood-Mitigation Applications

2/28/25 – Today, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released the status of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications from Harris County’s Flood Control District and Housing & Community Development Department.

The grant applications cover almost $1.1 billion dollars in aid for Harris County relating to Hurricane Harvey alone, which the GLO manages for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Today’s updates cover the status of more than 60 projects. A little more than half have already been approved. Twenty-one are still in review. And eight still have not been submitted yet.

Separately, yesterday Harris County Commissioners adopted three resolutions to limit financial exposure during the Federal grant funding freeze.

Let’s look at the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications first, then the issue of financial exposure.

HCFCD Disaster Relief Projects

Of the 11 disaster relief projects published by Flood Control, the GLO has already approved 10. Flood Control has not yet submitted the application for the Genoa Red Bluff Regional Stormwater Detention Basin.

All projects in this list total approximately $269 million.

For descriptions of each project above, click here.

HCFCD Flood-Mitigation Projects

HCFCD is submitting 18 projects in the flood-mitigation category. Of those, the GLO has started reviewing 16. HCFCD has yet to submit two.

The 16 projects submitted to date total approximately $510 million out of $541,847,826 allocated for this category.

Only one project below – Taylor Gully/Woodridge – is in the Kingwood Area.

For descriptions of each project, click here.

For a printable PDF of these two lists, click here.

Housing and Community Development Mitigation and Planning

Harris County’s Housing & Community Development Department also has projects in two categories: mitigation and planning.

Mitigation includes nine projects totaling approximately $150 million. GLO has already approved all except for two still in review.

HC H&CD has already issued notices of intent to release funds for approved projects above.

Housing & Community Development has also requested money for 23 planning studies. The 18 approved or still in review total $10.775 million.

For a printable PDF of these two lists, click here.

County Making Contingency Plans for Federal Grant Funding Freeze

A large portion of the Special Harris County Commissioners Court Meeting yesterday concerned planning for uncertainties regarding the federal grant funding freeze. Specifically on the agenda:

Item 11 tried to limit the County’s financial exposure in case projects were started, but promised funding did not come through on the back end.
Item 164 requested HCFCD to provide an update on every 2018 flood-bond project (completed, in progress, and not yet started). Commissioners requested dollars expended to date by life cycle stages, locations and subprojects. They also requested a listing of how all projects scored and ranked on the County’s Equity Prioritization Framework.

Those two items alone consumed two hours.

Re: Item 11, Commissioners adopted three motions unanimously:

Motion 1 directed OMB to maintain a maximum monthly average of $100 million in outstanding receivables relating to federal grants and to update commissioners court monthly on balances.
Motion 2 directed OCA, OMB, the County’s Strategic Planning Committee, and impacted departments to make recommendations for dealing with at-risk, federally funded programs.
Motion 3 allowed payment of grant-funded invoices if federal funding is available.

The motions govern management of invoice payments related to grants and establish protocols for prioritizing grant programs.

Rationale Behind Motions in Item 11

Watch the discussion of Item 11 in this video of yesterday’s Special Commissioners Court Meeting. Make sure you click on the segment labeled “Departments 2 of 2.” The discussion starts at 11:02 A.M.

The commissioners want to prevent a significant impact on cash flow and future budget cycles. Their plan includes setting aside general funds and cooperating with the Strategic Planning Committee to identify priority grants.

Additionally, there are strategies to identify at-risk grants, limit financial exposure, and ensure that ongoing expenditures are more closely aligned with the likelihood of reimbursement.

Motion 3 would only allow payment of project/program related invoices if reimbursement seems likely.

The measures apply to all federal grants, not just those listed above. For instance, ARPA funding expires next year and will affect many county employees.

The county averages about $70 million in liabilities every month related to payment of grant invoices (for which the Federal government later reimburses the county). The $100 million limit in Motion 1 reflects an amount that the county cannot afford if the Feds withhold payment.

For the time being, everyone is proceeding as though the funding appropriated by Congress will come through.

Most of those I interviewed for this article believe the President does not have the authority to override laws passed by Congress with executive orders. However, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) budget cuts could have the impact of hamstringing other departments, such as HUD.

For instance, I talked to two government officials on the condition of anonymity who discussed rumors of staffing cuts greater than 80% at HUD. That could affect reimbursement for tens of billion of dollars in CDBG funds nationwide, because the Department might not have the personnel to process reimbursements.

That could affect most of the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications above. But more on that at a future date when and if the rumors become real.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/28/25

2740 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO, HUD Funding Approved for 7 HCFCD Projects So Far

11/20/2024 – The Texas General Land Office (GLO) confirmed funding approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for seven Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) projects.

In June of last year, HCFCD submitted two projects lists to GLO for $825 million in HUD Community Development Block Grant disaster relief (CDBG-DR) funding and flood mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding.

Since then, HCFCD has worked with GLO to finalize the HUD applications. HCFCD presented an update to Commissioner’s Court in early October, 2024. Today, GLO provided an update to the update.

CDBG-DR Projects

According to an email from GLO spokesperson Brittany Eck received today, seven DR projects have received funding approvals to date. They include:

Arbor Oaks
Brookglen Stormwater Detention Basin (SWDB) Phase 2
East TC Jester SWDB
Isom SWDB
Jackson Bayou SWDB
Kluge SWDB
Lauder SWDB Ph II Compartment 2

Eck also said that five more CDBG-DR projects are under final quality-control review. “We are making sure the project submissions are complete and meet all federal eligibility requirements so that there are not issues or concerns down the road.”

Disaster Relief projects have the tightest deadlines. So, all parties focused on those first.

CDBG-MIT Funding Still Under Review

“Seventeen CDBG-mitigation projects are still in various stages of preliminary review,” said Eck.

“We are working back and forth on requests for more information required by HUD on many of the projects,” said Eck. “We continue to work very closely with the HCFCD team to make sure they have all available resources needed to complete the applications. Overall our team is very pleased with the progress being made and the relationship continues to be strong.”

Only two mitigation projects have not yet been submitted for preliminary review.

Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve Channel Rehabilitation (100-00-00-X115)
Channel Conveyance Improvements (C147-00-00-E002) in the Sims Bayou Watershed.

Tremendous Progress

“HCFCD has made tremendous progress on these funds,” said Eck. “However, the rate of approval may not yet demonstrate the progress being made behind the scenes.”

She added, “This process, especially considering the amount funds being administered is an extremely lengthy federal process. Additionally HCFCD has needed to combine projects due to functionality and the GLO is working closely with them to ensure eligibility in the most efficient timeframe imaginable.”

Kingwood Projects Not Mentioned in This Update

Eck did not comment on the status of two Kingwood projects. I can only assume they are still under review. She did not mention any that had been eliminated.

The two Kingwood projects:

Taylor Gully improvements
Two additional stormwater detention basins upstream from Taylor Gully on Woodridge Village property acquired by HCFCD and the City of Houston.

*Woodridge Village detention basin photographed on 10/25/24. Project paused pending outcome of HUD financing approval.*

In its October update to Commissioners Court, HCFCD said the Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basins were originally below the funding line for CDBG-DR.

“The original engineering analysis indicated that only Woodridge Basin Compartment 1 was needed for the Taylor Gully mitigation,” said the update. “As the analysis has progressed it indicates that Compartment 2 (or a portion of it) may also be needed. Due to other projects potentially reducing in budget from the initial estimates, there may be funding available to include the Woodridge basin in the Taylor Gully project.”

That word “may” in the last sentence worries me.

HCFCD did not propose the Kingwood Diversion Ditch project for HUD consideration. HCFCD called the diversion ditch one of the two most important projects in Kingwood. That funding will have to come from somewhere else.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/20/24

2640 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Posts Six State Action-Plan Amendments for Public Comment

9/3/2024 – Today, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) posted six state action-plan amendments for public comment. The amendments reallocate remaining money from federal grants for disasters between 2008 and 2019.

Includes Disaster Recovery Reallocation Program

Each of the six amendments includes a new Disaster Recovery Reallocation Program (DRRP). The DRRP will let the GLO utilize de-obligated and un-utilized funds remaining within the action plan for each disaster.

The $135 million being reallocated pales in comparison to the billions of dollars in unmet needs around the state. Better matching remaining dollars with remaining needs will help create a more resilient Texas. And simplifying the application process will help use up available money before federal deadlines expire.

Action-Plan Amendments, Deadlines, Major Changes

The GLO provided this summary of the deadlines for public comment on each amendment:

Hurricanes Ike and Dolly Amendment 7
- Federally required public comment period of 7 days will end at 5:00 PM on September 11, 2024.
2015 Floods and Storms Amendment 6
- Federally required public comment period of 14 days will end at 5:00 PM on September 18, 2024.
2016 Floods and Storms Amendment 8
- Federally required public comment period of 14 days will end at 5:00 PM on September 18, 2024.
Hurricane Harvey $5.6 Billion Amendment 16
- Federally required public comment period of 30 days will end at 5:00 PM on October 4, 2024.
- Includes updates to the Harris County Homeowner Assistance, Residential Buyout, Affordable Rental and Single Family New Construction Programs.
- Includes updates to the City of Houston Single Family Development and Buyout Programs.
2018 South Texas Floods Amendment 2
- Federally required public comment period of 30 days will end at 5:00 PM on October 4, 2024.
- Includes updates to the Specific Conditions Report in Appendix H.
2019 Disasters Amendment 3
- Federally required public comment period of 30 days will end at 5:00 PM on October 4, 2024.
- Includes updates to the Specific Conditions Report in Appendix G.

*Cover of Amendment 16 to Harvey Action Plan*

The six action-plan amendments are available for review at https://recovery.texas.gov/public-notices.

Submit all comments to cdr@recovery.texas.gov by 5:00 p.m. on their respective ending dates.

$135 Million Reallocated

The Hurricane Ike action plan amendment creates the DRRP. It will utilize remaining program funds from current disaster recovery grants from 2008 to 2019, with the exception of the 2011 Wildfires grant.

DRRP will expedite the expenditure of funds to comply with HUD’s timely expenditure requirements through a call for projects across multiple grants.
Ike Action Plan Amendment, page 2.

Each project will undergo eligibility analysis based on the grant that used to fund it.

As funds continue to be identified through the de-obligation process, they will be added to the DRRP
program. All remaining funds will be reallocated to this program for each grant.

The amounts going into the DRRP “pot” total $135 million. That includes:

$20,500,000 from 2008 Ike and Dolly
$4,000,000 to DRRP for May 2015 (DR-4223) and October 2015 (DR-4245)
$5,500,000 for 2016 Flood (DR-4266, DR-4269, DR-4272)
$84,500,000 for 2017 Harvey Round 1
$6,000,000 for 2018 South Texas Floods
$14,500,000 for 2019 Disasters

Together, they total $135,000,000.

Consult Individual Plans for More Details

Based on the Dolly/Ike amendment, GLO will do a single call for projects statewide. Each agency that responds can submit up to two applications, and they will score them based on the published criteria.

Those criteria total more than 800 pages. Criteria for each of the six amendments are hyperlinked with the amounts above.

While that’s a daunting number of pages to read, GLO provides tables that show where money is going from and to, plus rules that will govern grant awards.

The GLO will perform the eligibility analysis to make applications easier. “We want this to be as simple as possible for applicants, so they will only have to submit one application and have all of the difficult analysis of eligibility and funding streams on our end,” said Brittany Eck, a GLO spokesperson.

If nothing else, these amendments dramatize how complex the flood mitigation process is. Today is 2562 days since Hurricane Harvey. But Hurricane Ike struck Houston on September 11, 2008. That’s 5836 days ago!

How to Submit Public Comments

Submit all comments to cdr@recovery.texas.gov by 5:00 p.m. on their respective ending dates to be considered. GLO requests that you please include the name and number of the action-plan amendments that you’re commenting on in the subject line.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/3/24

2562 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Rebuilds Its 2000th Home in Houston, Harris County

Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has rebuilt its 2000th home – in Houston and Harris County alone – since Hurricane Harvey. Many more projects are under construction or in the approval process here and in other counties throughout Texas..

*Dawn Buckingham MD, GLO Commissioner congratulates the homeowners (center) as she turns over the key*. Builder is on left.

GLO rebuilt the home through its Homeowner Assistance Programs (HAP) as part of ongoing recovery efforts. One of the GLO’s missions is to restore and rebuild communities across Texas after natural disasters. Just last year, GLO celebrated the rebuilding of 1000 homes in Houston/Harris County.

Rebuilding Lives, Not Just Homes

The GLO certainly isn’t resting on its laurels. Buckingham said, “This milestone represents more than just a number. It reflects the dedication and hard work of the GLO’s disaster recovery team and our commitment to helping Texas families rebuild their lives after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and other disasters.

*Buckingham (Left) and Mike Nichols (Right), new director of Houston Housing and Community Development, tour new home with ecstatic owners, Argelis and James Sapio (Center).*

Hurricane Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program

The GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program is funded by $2 billion in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program helps homeowners repair, rebuild, and, in some cases, elevate their homes to mitigate future flood risks.

Army Vet and Teacher

The homeowners, James and Argelis Sapio, have been married 47 years and lived in the same house for 27 of those. A U.S. Army veteran, James served in war zones around the world starting in Vietnam and ending in Eastern Europe. Argelis, taught at a neighborhood elementary school

They loved their home and the location. But it flooded repeatedly with increasing frequency. Over time, the flooding got worse as neighbors built their lots up. Reportedly illegal dumping also complicated flooding issues when it backed water up in ditches. The final straw was Hurricane Harvey. A foot of floodwater invaded the Sapio’s home.

They persisted through a daunting application for aid that the GLO, HUD and City are trying to streamline. Four months ago, construction of a new home started on their old lot. The elevated design should make them safe from flooding. It includes ramps to make access easier.

*The 2000th home. Note elevation and ramp.*

Said Argelis (with a smile), “Now the only thing we have to worry about is elevating our cars.”

Construction took four months. During that time, the couple lived in motels. They were so eager to move in, they weren’t going to wait for the movers. Argelis said they were going to bring a mattress in tonight and sleep on the floor if they had to.

Ongoing Commitment to Disaster Recovery

Altogether, the GLO has rebuilt more than 8,000 homes in 49 counties designated eligible by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Commissioner Buckingham reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing dedication to disaster recovery and preparedness as the GLO celebrates this achievement. “The GLO remains steadfast in supporting Texans as they rebuild and recover,” said Buckingham. “Together, we will continue to work towards a more resilient Texas.”

For a one-minute YouTube video of the ceremony and tour of the house, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/24

2535 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Approves $66.4 Million in Regional Mitigation Projects

7/18/2024 – Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved another $66,402,284 in regional mitigation projects.

The money will go toward projects that improve roads, water detention, drainage and sewer systems. The projects are within the cities of Baytown, Brenham, Centerville, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Houston, Jasper, Plantersville, Seadrift and Waelder.

However, money will also go toward projects in Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris and Matagorda counties.

Projects Prioritized Locally

“Through the Regional Mitigation Program, the GLO enabled local prioritization. That will have a tremendous impact across multiple regions,” according to GLO spokesperson Brittany Eck.

“The GLO works with Texas communities to strengthen and build infrastructure, so we can help protect and improve lives for local residents,” said Commissioner Buckingham.

“Many of these communities were recently impacted by Hurricane Beryl’s devastating winds and flood waters,” continued Buckingham.

“Getting and using federal grant funds can be very complicated. But the GLO works side by side with local leaders to push past the federal paperwork and get funds moving forward.”

Making Communities More Resilient

Buckingham emphasized that the funds should make Texas communities “more resilient against future disasters.”

The table below shows the list of approved grants.

For more detailed project descriptions, please click here.

The one project in Houston: a $10.8 million stormwater detention basin in Sunnyside, a small community near West U.

Money Prioritized by Councils of Governments

These funds come from $1,166,997,000 in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD designated the money local councils of governments (COGs) through the GLO.

The projects themselves do not have regional benefits. The term “regional mitigation projects” applies more to the type of organizations that sponsor the projects.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) is one such group. Each Council of Government with HUD-designated eligible counties developed a method of distribution (MOD) for allocation of funds to units of local governments. Each COG developed their MOD through extensive public participation.

HUD defines mitigation as activities that increase resilience to disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship, by lessening the impact of future disasters.

HUD requires that at least 50% of total funds must be used for activities benefiting low-to moderate-income (LMI) persons. For more information, please visit recovery.texas.gov/mitigation.\

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/18/2024 based on a press release from the GLO

2515 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Area Leaders Meet with GLO Commissioner Buckingham

Harris County and the Houston area are receiving $863 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office (GLO) for disaster relief and flood mitigation. So, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, GLO Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham met with a group of Lake-Houston-Area leaders to discuss the area’s flood mitigation needs.

The meeting, arranged by State Representative Charles Cunningham, also included Director Tina Petersen of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD); Director Thao Costis of Harris County Community Services (CSD); Humble Mayor Norman Funderburk; and Dustin Hodges, Chief of Staff for City of Houston Council Member Fred Flickinger.

(L to R) Dustin Hodges; Tina Petersen; Thao Costis; Dr. Dawn Buckingham; Rep. Charles Cunningham; Norman Funderburk; Alice Rekeweg; Scott Elmer, HCFCD; and Kathleen Jordan.

Projects Vie for Funding

As reported on 4/23, Buckingham was in Houston to discuss Disaster Relief and Mitigation projects totaling $863 million. But there are more deserving projects than money to fund them all. So Buckingham, her team, HCFCD and CSD met with area leaders to discuss needs.

The GLO administers the distribution of HUD funds in Texas. Among Lake Houston Area projects discussed for funding were:

Taylor Gully Channel Improvements ($25.5 Million)
Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin – Compartment 1 ($13.3 Million)
Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin – Compartment 2 ($17.5 Million)
Mercer Park Drainage Improvements ($5.3 Million)
Mercer Detention Basin ($15.4 Million)
Mercer Botanic Garden Restroom Improvements (0.6 Million)
New Humble Fire Station ($4.5 Million)

No commitments were made at the meeting, but the mood was positive and everyone left smiling.

Buckingham is still collecting information. She listened attentively, asked probing questions and left with a better understanding of the area’s needs.

Splitting the Woodridge Basin into two phases helps ensure that at least one compartment will get funded and provide enough mitigation to let the Taylor Gully Channel Improvements move forward.

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