Houston Public MediaSep 22, 2025

The Harris County Flood Control District has paused more than 26 groups of flood mitigation projects following revelations of a major funding shortfall on 2018 flood bond projects that were approved by voters after Hurricane Harvey. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/harris-county/2025/09/22/531266/harris-county-faces-410-million-funding-shortfall-on-post-harvey-flood-projects/

#HarrisCounty #Local #News #2018FloodBond #FloodBond #HarrisCountyFloodControlDistrict #HurricaneHarvey

Harris County faces $410 million funding shortfall on post-Harvey flood projects

The county has secured about $2.7 billion in partnerships from local, state and federal funding sources. But a major gap in funding remains and commissioners floated the possibility of going back to the voters in the future to secure the remaining money needed to finish up those projects. 

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaSep 17, 2025

Houston residents with homes damaged by Hurricane Beryl or the derecho wind event last year could receive financial assistance in the coming months. The need is greater than the available funding — a problem the city has faced in the past.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/housing/2025/09/17/531097/houstons-recovery-funds-for-beryl-and-the-derecho-unlikely-to-meet-need/

#CityOfHouston #Housing #Houston #Hurricane #Local #News #DisasterRecovery #HoustonDerecho #HoustonHousing #HurricaneBeryl #HurricaneHarvey #TexasGeneralLandOffice #TexasHousers

Houston’s recovery funds for Beryl and the derecho unlikely to meet need

Houston residents with homes damaged by Hurricane Beryl or the derecho wind event last year could receive financial assistance in the coming months. The need is greater than the available funding — a problem the city has faced in the past.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaSep 12, 2025

Elon Musk said his proposal to build tunnels to address Houston's chronic flooding woes would work, after an investigation raised questions about the plan's effectiveness. But experts say his plan has key technical and logistical challenges.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/flooding/2025/09/12/530698/fact-check-elon-musk-says-his-houston-flood-tunnel-idea-will-work-experts-say-thats-misleading/

#Business #EnergyEnvironment #Flooding #HarrisCounty #Houston #Local #News #ElonMusk #HarrisCountyFloodControlDistrict #HurricaneHarvey #TheBoringCo

Fact check: Elon Musk says his Houston flood tunnel idea will work. Experts say that’s misleading

Musk said his proposal to build tunnels to address Houston's chronic flooding woes would work, after an investigation raised questions about the plan's effectiveness. But experts say his plan has key technical and logistical challenges.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaSep 8, 2025

The Houston Avenue bridge, which has repeatedly been struck by motorists passing underneath it over the years, likely will be demolished and relocated as part of an ongoing TxDOT project to elevate Interstate 10 near White Oak Bayou. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/transportation/2025/09/08/530315/houston-avenue-bridge-struck-txdot-elevation-project/

#Houston #Infrastructure #Local #News #PublicSafety #Traffic #Transportation #BridgeStrikes #HoustonAvenueBridge #HurricaneHarvey #I10WhiteOakBayouProject #TropicalStormImelda #Txdot

The Houston Avenue bridge keeps getting hit by motorists. There’s a plan to replace it

The bridge's monitoring system has recorded 68 "strike incidents" this year, including two last week, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. As part of a $400 million project to elevate Interstate 10, the state agency plans to demolish the bridge in early 2027 and then reconstruct it underneath the freeway to prevent further strikes.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaAug 28, 2025

For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/flooding/2025/08/28/529626/elon-musk-is-trying-to-build-760m-tunnels-under-houston-a-texas-congressman-is-quietly-helping-him/

#Business #EnergyEnvironment #Flooding #HarrisCounty #Houston #Local #News #Politics #Texas #ElonMusk #HurricaneHarvey #USCongress

Elon Musk is trying to build $760M tunnels under Houston. A Texas congressman is quietly helping him

For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.

Houston Public Media
Mark MartinoJul 26, 2025
HUD plans to halt its probe into allegations that a Texas agency diverted $1B in disaster mitigation money from Houston and other communities of color hit hard by Hurricane Harvey toward more rural, white communities less damaged by the storm. #Houston #HurricaneHarvey
https://propub.li/4o6FYDd
Trump Administration Prepares to Drop Seven Major Housing Discrimination Cases

Federal housing officials spent years investigating cities from Chicago to Memphis to Corpus Christi for putting industrial plants and unwanted facilities in poor, nonwhite neighborhoods. Now, under Trump, the agency plans to drop the cases.

ProPublica
Houston Public MediaJul 11, 2025

Following a revelation that Harris County has about a $1 billion funding shortfall for earmarked flood bond projects initiated after Hurricane Harvey, county commissioners on Thursday voted to finance certain high-priority projects.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/flooding/2025/07/11/526195/following-1-billion-flood-bond-program-shortfall-harris-county-commissioners-ok-some-projects/

#Flooding #HarrisCounty #Houston #Local #News #Politics #2018FloodBond #FloodMitigation #FloodingProjects #HarrisCountyCommissionersCourt #HarrisCountyFloodControlDistrict #HurricaneHarvey

Harris County commissioners vote to proceed with some flood bond projects amidst $1 billion shortfall

The approval secures certain flood mitigation projects approved by voters in 2018 after Hurricane Harvey, including ones that rely on funding partnerships. The projects were at risk of being cut as the county faces a shortfall on its record $2.5 billion flood bond program.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaJul 8, 2025

The way Central Texans rushed to each other's aid during the Fourth of July floods conjured memories of Hurricane Harvey for Donnie Mosher, a Houston man who had traveled to Kerr County to look for a home.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/2025/07/08/525967/houston-resident-in-texas-hill-country-during-floods-saw-devastation-familiar-sense-of-community/

#Flooding #Houston #Local #News #Texas #CentralTexasFloods #GuadalupeRiverFlood #HurricaneHarvey #NaturalDisasters #TexasHillCountry

Houston resident in Texas Hill Country during floods saw devastation, familiar sense of community

The way Central Texans rushed to each other's aid over the Fourth of July weekend conjured memories of Hurricane Harvey for Donnie Mosher, a Houston man who had traveled to Kerr County to look for a home.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaJun 13, 2025

Houston and Harris County are again at odds over funding for Mayor John Whitmire’s ambitious push to “end street homelessness” as the city’s fund for the initiative remains short of its goal. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/houston/2025/06/13/524065/city-of-houston-and-harris-county-at-odds-over-funding-to-combat-homelessness/

#CityOfHouston #HarrisCounty #Housing #Houston #HoustonMayor #Local #News #Politics #HarrisCountyCommissionersCourt #HomelessInHouston #Homelessness #HomelessnessInHouston #HoustonMayorJohnWhitmire #HurricaneHarvey

City of Houston and Harris County at odds over funding to combat homelessness

After Harris County Commissioners Court approved $8 million for homelessness services, the City of Houston’s housing department claimed the money would “go directly towards the Mayor’s Homelessness Action Plan.” The county’s housing director said, “We wouldn't call it the mayor's program.”

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaMay 19, 2025

More than $26 million in federal disaster recovery money – which was previously allocated but left unspent – is being newly awarded to a series of affordable housing developments in the Houston and Galveston areas.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/2025/05/19/521748/houston-galveston-areas-getting-26-million-in-reallocated-disaster-recovery-funds-for-affordable-housing/

#Galveston #HarrisCounty #Houston #Hurricane #HurricaneHarvey #Local #News #Politics #Texas #FederalDisasterRecoveryMoney #HurricaneHarveyRecovery #HurricaneIke #HurricaneIkeRecovery #TexasGeneralLandOffice

Houston, Galveston areas getting $26 million in reallocated disaster recovery funds for affordable housing

The Texas General Land Office is awarding more than $45 million in unused federal grant money for a total of 15 affordable housing developments in the south and southeast portions of the state. The funding being newly awarded to Galveston and Harris counties is tied to Hurricanes Dolly and Ike in 2008 or Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Houston Public Media