Houston area getting little of $1B in Harvey flood aid
Associated PressHOUSTON — Houston area officials expressed shock and anger on Friday after learning that their communities, which suffered the brunt of damage from Hurricane Harvey, would be getting only a small part of the $1 billion that Texas is awarding as part of an initial distribution of federal funding given to the state for flood mitigation. The frustration expressed by local leaders follows previous tension between the state and officials in Harris County, where Houston is located, and Houston’s mayor over how to manage and distribute federal funding awarded for repairs and mitigation after Harvey in 2017. “For the state GLO not to give one dime in the initial distribution to the city and a very small portion to Harris County shows a callous disregard to the people of Houston and Harris County,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement. U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, called the GLO’s decision “outrageous.” The lack of funding from the GLO was likely to complicate Harris County’s efforts to try and make up for a $1.4 billion shortfall that officials are facing in funding flood control projects approved by Houston area voters in 2018 in response to Harvey.