| Since April 30th, Harris County has been hit hard by catastrophic flooding, heavy rain and severe winds. These disasters impacted so many people across the county, with some residents losing power for days and experiencing significant damage to their homes and businesses.
Judge Hidalgo has been working with leaders from all levels of government to help provide as much aid as needed to people who were impacted. She traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate alongside the Biden Administration, FEMA and the Small Business Administration to open up as many pathways for aid as possible, as well as ways to expedite the voluntary buyout process for areas in Harris County that frequently flood.
So far, FEMA has approved more than $50 million in Individual Assistance funds for people who were impacted and the Small Business Administration has approved another $2 million in low-interest disaster loans, and these numbers are growing every day. To apply for this assistance, please visit www.disasterassistance.gov or call 800-621-FEMA (3362).
The Harris County Engineering Department is currently ahead of schedule for debris pickup and should be finished picking up debris in unincorporated Harris County by the end of June. To report debris, please call 3-1-1.
The other good news is that Harris County is not only resilient in the face of disasters, but also generous. The joint fund set up by the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance for survivors of these disasters has already raised over $2 million. Judge Hidalgo and Mayor Turner helped set up the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance last year to help get aid out into the community quicker. If you are able to donate, please visit www.disasteralliance.org/derecho. If you would prefer to help out by volunteering, please visit www.volunteerhouston.org.
For more information on how to access recovery resources, or to find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, please visit www.readyharris.org or call 2-1-1. Harris County will see more heavy rainfall and potentially flash flooding this week, so please sign up for alerts, stay weather-aware and remember to never drive into high water. |
