Hurricane Harvey One Year Later: Q&A with County Judge Ed Emmett
Ed Emmett
HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, 2017, and inundated southeast Texas for days. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, a visible leader during the storm, has led efforts to address the region’s chronic flooding. The Commissioners Court has called a bond election for Aug. 25 for the Harris County Flood Control District. Registered voters in Harris County will be asked to approve $2.5 billion in bonds to fund flood-risk reduction projects across the county. A preliminary project list includes $919 million for channel improvements, $386 million for detention basins, $220 million for floodplain land acquisition, $12.5 million for updated floodplain mapping and $1.25 million to enhance the early flood warning system. Realty News Report spoke with Judge Emmett to learn more about the plans to reduce flooding and the upcoming bond measure.
Realty News Report: During Hurricane Harvey more than 100,000 homes were damaged, many commercial properties and small businesses suffered severe losses, and about 300,000 vehicles were flooded. Thousands of residents lacked flood insurance and faced major financial setbacks. In short, Harvey devastated households and eroded financial security. Where do we go from here? How can the county prevent the kind of catastrophic flooding seen during Harvey? What needs to be done?
Judge Ed Emmett: We must recognize that solving this requires cooperation at every level of government and within the community. Harris County can and will do its part, but the city and state must also contribute. Texas has a rainy-day fund — if Harvey wasn’t a rainy-day emergency, I’m not sure what was. The state also has institutions like the Texas Water Development Board that focus on water management; now the emphasis should shift toward flood control, and this is an opportune time for state support.
Realty News Report: Despite the recent floods, what is your outlook for Houston’s future? Will the city retain its “can-do” character?
Judge Ed Emmett: Houston will remain that city only if we get flood control right. The recent storms — Tax Day, Memorial Day and Hurricane Harvey — revealed to the world that Houston and Harris County are vulnerable to flooding. That perception can harm our economy and growth if we don’t act. Changing weather patterns and development trends have increased flood risk; neighborhoods that rarely flooded before, like Meyerland, and major roadways such as portions of I-610, have been affected. That is the challenge we must confront. The $2.5 billion bond proposal, funded by property taxes and on the ballot in August, would enable major work on bayous such as Brays, White Oak and Hunting, and significantly reduce the number of people and businesses exposed to flood risk. Historically, flood mitigation wasn’t a top priority, but after three major storms in recent years it must be. If we don’t prioritize flood control, everything else is at risk.
Realty News Report: Houstonians have faced many floods and other natural challenges. What makes the city so resilient? Is there something special about Houston’s character?
Judge Ed Emmett: I believe so. As a native Texan, I see a strong sense of pride and self-reliance here. While the human spirit is evident in many places around the world, in Houston it seems especially strong—perhaps rooted in our history as an independent republic and reinforced by a culture of hard work from ranching and farming traditions. People here learn to take care of themselves and each other. During Harvey, I went on television and asked anyone with a boat to help, and countless residents did so without hesitation. Those spontaneous acts of neighbor-to-neighbor rescue likely saved hundreds of lives. That willingness to help defines Houston’s resilience.
