City of Houston Expands Outreach Efforts to Reach Harvey Survivors

March 22, 2019 — This weekend, the City of Houston is continuing efforts to reach vulnerable Houstonians who still need help to recover after Hurricane Harvey. The Housing and Community Development Department will conduct door-to-door canvassing in Southwest Houston and participate in multiple community events to raise awareness about recovery options.

“It’s been 18 long months since Harvey,” said Housing Director Tom McCasland. “The City’s recovery programs launched in January. Now we need people to raise their hands so we can help.”

The purpose of the canvass is to reach as many Houstonians as possible in areas that were hard-hit by flooding. Canvassing is targeting vulnerable communities who might not otherwise know about recovery programs. Saturday’s canvass will focus on Larkwood, Braeburn Valley, Bonham Acres and Braeburn Glen. In addition to Saturday’s effort, the City has 50 canvassers working six days a week to reach the most vulnerable Houstonians. To date, they have knocked on more than 54,000 doors. Canvassers wear bright red polo shirts with the “Build It Forward” logo on the chest.

Housing and Community Development Department teams are attending many community events throughout the week. Check our Events page for the latest schedule.

Coming Events:

Saturday, March 23, 2019

• Alief ISD Family U Conference 6750 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• AAMA Garage Sale 215 Rittenhouse Street, Houston, TX 77076, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Bayland Park Community Center 6400 Bissonet Street, Houston, TX 77076, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• KIPP Liberation Third Ward Health & Resources Fair 5400 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Houston, TX 77021, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Sunday, March 24, 2019

• Hong Kong Market 11205 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston, TX 77072, 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
• Cigna Sunday Streets West 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

“The first step for anyone who had Harvey damage is to take the Harvey Recovery Survey so we understand the true need in Houston,” said Mayra Bontemps, Assistance Director for Disaster Recovery. “We don’t want to leave anyone behind. That’s why we’re using many different kinds of outreach: to ensure we reach the most vulnerable.”

Programs are available to help homeowners at all income levels. After residents complete the Survey, the City will match them with the right recovery program options. Programs are available to reimburse homeowners for eligible repair expenses, and to help homeowners complete repair work.