A bipartisan group of officers from Harris County and the state of Texas gathered within the Pine Trails Subdivision on Thursday to interrupt floor on a multi-million-dollar drainage enchancment venture meant to learn practically 2,000 properties, a few of which had been flooded throughout Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The $72 million venture was an effort between Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, a Democrat, and Texas Basic Land Workplace Commissioner Daybreak Buckingham, a Republican. In response to Garcia’s workplace, $33 million of the funding for the venture is derived from the $4.4 billion in federal funding allotted to Texas following Harvey. The remainder can be supplied by the county. The enhancements will embrace “upgraded stormwater drainage, two new detention ponds, and enhancements to roads and sidewalks.”
“In complete, this venture can be valued at roughly $72 million with the sources of the Basic Land Workplace and with Harris County’s personal participation,” Garcia mentioned. “That is what can be invested into the Pine Trails neighborhood.”
Talking on the occasion, Garcia mentioned it was fairly a prolonged course of to safe the funding first authorized by the state in 2017.
“In 2017, Hurricane Harvey got here in and supplied some devastation to the neighbors that stay within the space [and] 264 properties had been flooded,” he mentioned. “Congress and President Trump made their means to supply $4.4 billion to the state of Texas. … At the moment, none of that cash made its approach to Harris County. None of it.”
Houston and Harris County, regardless of receiving the brunt of the injury attributable to Harvey, initially acquired no cash when the primary $1 billion in federal restoration funds was allotted by the Texas Basic Land Workplace, which then was led by George P. Bush.
Acquiring the funds for the Pine Trails venture wouldn’t have been potential with out the help of Buckingham and her workplace, Garcia mentioned.
“Dr. Buckingham, your sources are going to assist us present 5 miles of highway enhancements, 12 miles of sidewalks [and] 17,500 improved storm sewers,’ he mentioned. “All of it’s designed and meant to assist this neighborhood from flooding but once more.”
Buckingham, in flip, mentioned the venture wouldn’t have been potential with out Garcia and Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, one other Democrat.
“I’d identical to to acknowledge we might not be right here with out you as a result of actually once I first took the job on the Basic Land Workplace, I spotted we had a problem in Houston and Harris County and we needed to repair that subject,” Buckingham mentioned. ” It was Commissioner Garcia and Commissioner Briones who got here throughout the aisle and it was that partnership that has enabled us to do that.”
Among the many different officers current was Pine Trails Owners’ Affiliation President Linda Britton. She mentioned she appreciated that Garcia and Buckingham had ensured that their neighborhood was not forgotten.
“I do not know the way y’all work in different neighborhoods, however they’re so conscious of us in Pine Trails,” Britton mentioned. “And sure, we did suppose that we had been the forgotten neighborhood, however I’ll let you know what, we’re coming again and we’re now not forgotten. If I really feel that we’re being forgotten, I’ll kick that door in as a result of we’ll get all the things that we’d like.”
