Frequently Asked Questions
The disaster recovery process following Hurricane Harvey is complex. This page intends to answer frequently asked questions about the recovery and the purpose of the Hurricane Harvey Funding Dashboard.
Hurricane Harvey Recovery
How were Harris County and the City of Houston impacted by Hurricane Harvey?
Harris County estimates that 70% of flooding occurred within its boundaries, excluding the City of Houston. The City of Houston estimates that 30% of flood damage to homes and personal property occurred within the City of Houston boundaries.
Did the State of Texas take over HUD CDBG-DR funding for Houston and Harris County?
Beginning in October of 2020, the GLO attempted to reduce the amount of grant money awarded to the city because of a dispute over grant implementation. In June 2021, HUD approved GLO’s Amendment 8 to the $5 billion action plan for Hurricane Harvey, which ultimately restored $835 million to the city, which was less than the initial total amount. Similarly, because of a dispute over grant implementation with Harris County, the GLO reduced grant funding for housing, particularly for the Homeowner Assistance Program.
Where can I learn more about Harris County’s flood mitigation bond?
The Harris County Flood Control District’s $2.5 billion bond program began in 2018 and includes 181 projects to help the county become more resilient to flooding. Summaries of completed projects can be viewed here. Monthly progress reports are viewable here.
Hurricane Harvey Funding Dashboard
Who is the primary audience?
The general public in Harris County and the City of Houston can view in one place where disaster recovery funding is being allocated.
Why do you focus on Harris County and the City of Houston?
These jurisdictions were the largest subrecipients of HUD CDBG-DR funding from the State of Texas General Land Office after Harvey. Initially, the City of Houston was awarded $1.28 billion and Harris County was awarded $1.23 billion.
Why is there a focus on three topical areas of recovery?
Disaster recovery takes time. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Disaster Recovery Framework emphasizes that recovery can take place over short-term intervals and longer term periods. The Hurricane Harvey Funding Dashboard shows recovery activities that occur over these time periods through exploring major federal grant programs awarded to the city and county. It also highlights community development needs that remain after a disaster and the grant funding available.
When will the Hurricane Harvey Funding Dashboard be updated next?
The Kinder Institute plans to update the funding dashboard on a quarterly basis.
What does the dashboard not do?
The Kinder Institute did not track where federal funding is being allocated, such as on a neighborhood or ZIP code level, or whether it is spent in repeated flood loss areas. Additionally, it does not show how federal funding interacts with socioeconomic demographics.
Where can I find more information?
— Harris County’s Disaster Recovery website: Harris Recovery
— Hurricane Harvey Action Plans for CDBG-DR Funds
— City of Houston’s changes to its building code after Harvey
— The Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas has a map of Harvey disaster counties by geographic region (last updated in 2019)
Questions? Contact us at kinder@rice.edu.