Dawn Buckingham, Texas Land Commissioner, has urged Harris County to speed up its use of the $70 million it received to aid victims of the 2024 storms. She offered a blunt explanation for the delay.
“I am very concerned this is another example of Harris County’s incompetence,” Buckingham said. “There is no one standing in their way except for themselves.”
Last year, Hurricane Beryl and the Derecho windstorm struck the county, and the federal government followed with funds for recovery. The assistance benefited nearly 400,000 neighbors, whose homes and apartments suffered damage.
The Numbers Behind the Rebuke
The county reports that the two storms impacted close to 400,000 neighbors. It got nearly $70 million to build aid programs. Buckingham’s message on Monday centered on a one-year extension that the federal government granted to flood reduction projects following Hurricane Harvey.
If the extension is not granted, documents indicate Harris County would fall behind on its deadlines and stand to lose more than $600 million.
What the County Has Actually Done With the Money
There is documentation from the county’s Housing and Community Development department showing its plans for how the funds will be used. However, an application process has not been put into place just yet.
Administration alone will absorb more than $3 million. Planning will take in excess of $1 million. Public service receives $2 million. And infrastructure, which includes drainage, draws nearly $14 million.
Almost all of the funds, some $50 million, are reserved for housing initiatives. Records indicate the county plans to establish programs where property owners could get help with $30,000 for needed work and assistance for $50,000, aimed at first-time buyers. The remaining amount, $25.5 million, is allocated for the construction of apartments.
Who Else Got the Money
Last year, the Texas General Land Office received roughly $300 million for its programs. The City of Houston has received more than $300 million and launched a program over a month ago. It also took in $67 million from Harris County’s share.
What the County Said Back
When ABC13 asked county officials about the programs on Thursday, officials did not respond directly. Rather, the county issued a statement asserting that Buckingham’s video message from earlier in the week had nothing to do with the funds they received.
The Deadline Clock
The state’s leaders say they have six years from the moment a contract is signed to spend the money. It is not known exactly when that happened.
Who Can Apply Now
You cannot register for the county’s programs at this point, but the GLO and city both run websites where neighbors can currently apply for help.
Comparing Who Moved First
| Organization | Money Received | Program Status |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Nearly $70 million | No application available |
| Texas General Land Office | About $300 million | Launched last year |
| City of Houston | More than $300 million | Launched more than a month ago |
A Schedule of Key Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Beryl and Derecho hit | 2024 |
| Federal funding announced | Not stated |
| One-year extension granted | Announced in Buckingham’s video |
| Deadline without extension | Missed, per documents |
| Six-year spending window | After signing contract |
| Houston program launched | More than a month ago |
What We Make of It
The issue, according to Buckingham, lies with the county itself. She stated that the obstacle in their path is not external but internal, asserting that no one stands in their way except for themselves.
The county’s response was to distance itself from the video entirely, which repeats the statement’s wording that the video was unrelated to the money. That is a strange position for a government office to take when a state official is pointing at its own paperwork and asking why nothing has happened.
The county is aware of the deadline, and missing it would mean losing more than $600 million on top of the $70 million already waiting to be paid.
The money for public service and the infrastructure projects appear prepared to advance. Housing programs, which help the most affected people, exist only on paper.
Whether the county manages to get applications open before the deadline begins to matter is what the coming months will reveal.
Source material: “State leaders raise concerns over Harris County's pace to distribute 2024 disaster relief money,” ABC13 Houston.
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