Houston Chronicle by Dan Phelps Aug. 17, 2018
For most Houstonians, Hurricane Harvey ended when the clouds broke and sunlight finally filtered through after four days of rain. But for those of us with multiple feet of water in our homes, the ordeal was just getting started.
In our particular neighborhood — flooded after the Barker and Addicks dams began releasing water — we faced a mountain of problems. Our homes were wrecked. Our possessions were lost. Our cars were flooded. Some of us were lucky enough to have flood insurance, despite the majority of the neighborhood falling outside a floodplain.
The rest were forced to navigate the treacherous road that FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration had laid out before us.
In the weeks that followed the receding water, as homeowners were tossing all our worldly possessions on the front lawn, the monthly bills began to roll in. As a first-time disaster participant, I can say that one of the most jarring events was the realization that the regular bills weren't stopping just because our homes were destroyed and life was on hold. Mortgages, phone bills, internet, student loans — everyone still wanted their money.
It was at this point that people in flooded neighborhoods began to receive bills from the City of Houston Water Department. Except, something was off — $2,000 off, to be exact.
More:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/hurricane-harvey-west-houston-high-water-bills-13163903.php
