Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing a daily collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts.
Important Harvey Links
State Bar Disaster Resources the Public — The State Bar of Texas legal hotline — (800) 504-7030 — helps people find answers to basic legal questions and connects them with local legal aid providers following declared disasters.
State Bar Disaster Resources for Attorneys — Information on this page includes recovery plans, court closures, court orders, and other items.
If you would like to donate money to the hurricane relief effort in Texas, you can give by clicking here.
If you are an attorney who wants to help by giving brief advice, limited-scope service, or full representation to Harvey survivors, please complete the form at texasbar.com/attorneyvolunteer.
Latest Harvey News
Abbott: Houston has enough funding for Harvey recovery — The governor said if the state needs to tap the Rainy Day Fund for Harvey recovery, it won’t be until the next legislative session in 2019. — The Texas Tribune
Harris County will not rebuild jury building underground — Harris County is unlikely to repair Hurricane Harvey flood damage to the six-year-old, $13 million jury Assembly Building that sits beneath a park in downtown Houston’s courthouse square near Buffalo Bayou, County Judge Ed Emmett said Tuesday. — Houston Chronicle
County approves $20 million home buyout program — Harris County Commissioners approved a $20 million plan for the county engineer to buy out homes affected by Hurricane Harvey. — KHOU – Houston
Many homeowners unaware they lived in reservoir ‘flood pools’ — Hong Soule was among 31,000 property owners in Harris and Fort Bend counties who learned during Harvey’s mass evacuations that their homes lie in what the federal government considers emergency lake beds behind the Barker and Addicks dams. Engineers call them “flood pools.” (Subscription required) — Houston Chronicle
Analysis: Funding your post-Harvey rebuild — With Hurricane Harvey finally gone and the floodwaters slowly beginning to recede, the magnitude of damage left behind becomes more apparent every day. Fortunately, Houston is one of the most resilient cities in the United States, and optimism can be found on every corner. — Texas Bar Blog
Can a web tool help coastal Texans assess their flood risk? A professor thinks so. — A university professor who studies natural hazards launched a flooding risk assessment tool for homes in Harris and Galveston counties. But after Hurricane Harvey, flooding risks are even harder to determine. — The Texas Tribune