Hurricane Harvey One Year Later: Q&A with Former Mayor Bill White
Bill White
HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Bill White served as Houston’s 60th mayor from 2004 to 2010 and was re-elected twice with an average support of 88 percent. He earned the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award for his leadership after Hurricane Katrina. A Hurricane Harvey survivor himself, White now chairs the Houston office of Lazard, which advises corporate and government leaders worldwide. Realty News Report recently spoke with Mayor White about Hurricane Harvey, development in Houston and his outlook for the city’s future.
Realty News Report: Hurricane Harvey posed a major test for Houston. Overall, how do you think the city handled it?
Bill White: Houston and its residents responded to Harvey with determination and resilience. It was neighbors helping neighbors, which is familiar to people who live here. For those outside the city, the responses to Harvey, Ike, Allison and Katrina revealed the true character of Houston’s people.
Realty News Report: Your own home was affected by Harvey. What happened as the water rose?
Bill White: I was in the house when water first entered. It was even coming out of electrical sockets. We built the house to withstand a 500-year event, but 50 inches of rain in four-and-a-half days exceeded any expectation, and releases from the dams produced a surge. Water was everywhere. We moved most furniture upstairs, but the first floor had to be rebuilt.
Realty News Report: Do you believe the city has fully recovered?
Bill White: No. Unfortunately, recovery remains incomplete. Some homes I inspected still had mold issues. I visited parts of northeast Houston—areas of modest housing—where families returned because they had nowhere else to go; I’m not sure they received full mold remediation, which concerns me. Some homes were completely destroyed. Harvey tightened the supply of affordable housing by shrinking options at the margins of the housing market. Cultural institutions like the Alley Theatre and Wortham Center still needed rebuilding, and some flooded office buildings required companies to relocate and decide their next steps. While Houston’s economy remains strong and the city continues to grow, a full recovery—especially with respect to damaged property—has not yet been achieved.
Realty News Report: The rapid releases from Addicks and Barker Reservoirs surprised many homeowners with sudden flooding. Did the Army Corps of Engineers handle the situation properly?
Bill White: I can’t definitively judge whether the Corps could have improved its timing. You can’t fault the Corps alone if Congress didn’t provide sufficient funding for necessary improvements like dredging silt behind the dams. There should be an examination of release timing in light of what happened. My house was one of many affected when the surge occurred and then receded while the rain was still falling. I’m sure officials are evaluating ways to improve for next time.
Realty News Report: Many older neighborhoods from the 1950s and 1960s, such as Meyerland, were desirable for decades but have begun flooding more often. Why is that?
Bill White: Meyerland, located along Brays Bayou, has suffered repeated flooding. Tropical storms like Allison highlighted the need for more surface detention, which is the most cost-effective way to store runoff. During my mayoral term, Houston invested hundreds of millions in expanding large underground drains, which are costly relative to the volume they convey. We built large detention areas near Bellaire and Beltway 8 then, but more surface detention is still needed and should be added sooner rather than later. Houston’s flat topography and slow-sloping bayous—often a foot or two per mile—mean water drains slowly. In heavy rain events, waterways can overtop. We cannot dramatically speed flow because it eventually reaches outlets like the Turning Basin or the bays, which can cause backflow. The practical solution is storing more water until the bayous can safely convey it.
Realty News Report: Would you describe Houston as a resilient city?
Bill White: Yes. Houston is a city of people who act rather than complain. Many residents moved here to work and build a life. We have numerous hardworking, skilled first- and second-generation Americans filling roles from department heads at Baylor College of Medicine to skilled carpenters taking risks in a new country. That spirit contributes to Houston’s determination and resilience.
Realty News Report: What is the single most important fix to reduce flooding?
Bill White: More surface detention. These can serve dual purposes: lakes and green spaces that provide recreational benefits while retaining stormwater during extreme events. As the nation’s fourth-largest city, Houston must ensure it receives an appropriate share of federal funding to support these investments.
Realty News Report: Given recurring damage at Buffalo Bayou Park—even as recently as July 4—do you think the park improvements were a mistake?
Bill White: No. Planners understood that Buffalo Bayou is fundamentally a waterway that will occasionally overtop its banks. The park remains an outstanding public amenity and is far less costly than alternatives like a theme park or an expensive performing arts center. That said, amenities along a working bayou will require recurring maintenance and repairs. Projects such as the Tolerance Bridge and the sculptures near Waugh, which were built during my administration, were designed knowing they might be submerged at times.
Realty News Report: What do you see ahead for Houston in the next 5, 10 or 20 years?
Bill White: Houston is a work in progress. Each generation has the opportunity and responsibility to take the city in new directions. One key question is the commitment from citizens and state government to strengthen urban public schools and ensure our educational resources compete with those in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and other regions that have made major investments in higher education. Despite those challenges, I’m optimistic. Houston has the highest concentration of engineers in the country thanks to its energy industry legacy, a relatively low cost of living, and a vibrant small-business community full of entrepreneurs. Houstonians generally view our diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions as strengths, making the city welcoming to multicultural experiences and well positioned for a global economy. Our economy is diversified beyond energy into medical research, manufacturing and many service sectors. Given these strengths, Houston has a strong future ahead.
