Bush reverses decision – Houston, Harris County to receive Hurricane Harvey relief money

(The Center Square) – George P. Bush, Commissioner of the General Land Office (GLO), received severe criticism for granting no federal storm relief money to Houston and Harris County, the city and county most impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane Harvey was the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history, impacting Houston and Harris County the most, with a total estimated $125 million in damages in 2017.

Texas is slated to receive $1 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through a CDBG-Mitigation grant authorized by Congress toward Hurricane Harvey relief money. Houston and Harris County incurred more than half of all damage, and was slated to receive none of this funding by the GLO.

According to a report by the Harris County Flood Control District, “By every conceivable measure and in every imaginable context, Harvey caused the most disastrous flooding in the nation’s history. All 4.7 million people in Harris County were impacted directly or indirectly during the flood and after the flood waters receded.”

Harris County recorded the highest total rainfall over four days of 47.4 inches, with flood waters resulting in 36 deaths, more than half of the total statewide deaths.

State and federal personnel rescued 60,049 residents in Harris County alone, and 32,000 to 34,000 evacuees stayed in 65 temporary shelters, with volunteers helping to rescue tens of thousands more.

Yet the General Land Office granted Houston and Harris County zero flood mitigation funds from HUD that would help low-to-moderate income communities still struggling several years later.

In response, 22 state representatives, all five Harris County Court Commissioners, all Houston City Council members, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner blasted Bush’s decision.

In response, Bush blamed the Biden administration.

HUD required the GLO to prioritize communities with high percentages of low-to-moderate income residents based on several factors, and the algorithm used excluded Houston and Harris County.

“The federal government’s red tape requirements and complex regulations are a hallmark of President Biden’s administration. I am no stranger to standing with the people of Texas as we fight against the federal government,” he said.

The GLO is now directing $750 million out of the $1 billion to Harris County.

The GLO says its “hands were tied” while waiting for HUD to publish rules regulating the funds, which came out in August of 2019, two years after the 100-year flood event. The scoring criterion the GLO used was approved in March 2020, when Biden was not president.

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