Oct 2018

Exactly i year after Hurricane Harvey slammed Harris County, Texas, killing 50 people and swamping 204,000 homes, voters were called to the polls to accept or reject the region's largest bail proposal ever: $two.5 billion for flood-control projects and flood mitigation. The measure passed with 85% back up; the Houston REALTORS®helped get out the vote.

Adoption of the Harris County Flood Bond Ballot Measure does more create a fund paid for by a modest x to 15-twelvemonth property taxation increment: it will provide the necessary seed money to secure matching dollars from the federal regime. "We're talking about funding for major flood-command projects on 23 watersheds correct in Harris County, says Dana Kervin, Main Political Strategist of the Houston REALTORS®. "These projects are shovel-ready, and now we know where the money'southward coming from." The projects include channel improvements, detention basins, flood-plain land acquisition, new alluvion-patently mapping, and an improved early on overflowing-warning arrangement, plus a significant assart for prevention and mitigation measures yet to exist identified.

There'south no question that flood mitigation is very much a REALTOR® outcome, says Kervin, noting that every day in the year since Hurricane Harvey fabricated landfall, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) has been working on recovery. "Our ear is on the footing, and preventing this kind of devastation from happening again is our tiptop priority. Right now, as nosotros see information technology occurring in the Carolinas," she adds, "nosotros're working on sharing what we've learned here with our colleagues there, and so they don't take to re-invent the bicycle."

In October 2017, HAR President Republic of kenya Burrell-Van Wormer led an industry-wide conversation on the subject of flood recovery, loans, and FEMA. This summer, HAR supported the NAR'south Call for Action on extending the National Flood Insurance Program with a number of local calls for the crusade. And Ed Wolff, co-chair of HAR's Government Diplomacy Informational Group, has become a significant community leader on overflowing issues. "Ed is a great spokesperson, leading the charge for greater homeowner protections; his own home has been flooded iii times, so he speaks from hard-won experience." His swain co-chair, Ward Arendt, is right in that location with him, working on the state and federal side, says Kervin. She likewise credits Gauge Ed Ant, and Jim Blackburn of Rice Academy, with reaching out to diverse populations to become many people on board with the Flood Bond. "They provided the transparency that gave voters confidence in the measure out. The election was scheduled to coincide with the ceremony of Harvey, but equally it wasn't a regular November election, it wasn't necessarily on the radar with Harris County voters. It took a lot of doing to enhance awareness."

In early July, HAR deputed a poll through the NAR's campaign services staff to gauge the temperature of the voting public. "It showed us that registered voters who were aware of the Flood Bond were largely in favor of information technology," says HAR Governmental Affairs Advisor Amber Burton. The positive results meant that HAR could stop short of a total-on Problems Mobilization campaign. "The poll helped united states to maintain a lean strategy," notes Burton, "and we were also able to use specific information results to arts and crafts our message in a targeted mailing, urging members to vote." She adds that this kind of policy decision affects Harris Canton residents on a very personal level: "Ever since Harvey, information technology'south so stressful when it rains. I know I'm not alone in wondering, 'Am I going to be able to become to work?' The passage of the Harris Canton Overflowing Bail measure out is going to relieve a lot of minds."

To learn more than near how Houston REALTORS® are helping to safeguard the region against futurity devastation like that wrought by Hurricane Harvey, contact Chief Political Strategist Dana Kervin at 713-629-1900 ext. 223; or Governmental Affairs Counselor Amber Burton at 713-629-1900 ext. 269.