AUSTIN, Texas — Austin has been no stranger to the devastating impacts that come with floods.
The 2013 and 2015 flooding events in the Onion Creek neighborhood have served as stark reminders of the impacts people face in the aftermath.
Now city leaders, led by Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes and the Del Valle Community Coalition, hope a pilot program will protect those who live in high-risk flood areas. On Thursday, council members signed off on the flood insurance assistance pilot program, which will be in collaboration with the nonprofit as well as the Housing and Watershed Protection Department.
The goal is to help people in those areas get and maintain flood insurance. Members of the coalition say the insurance would depend on the home insurance the clients have or prefer.
“We’re trying to build a more resilient community,” Fuentes said. “What we want to do is get as many people covered as possible.”
Officials with the Housing and Watershed Protection Department said they will help figure out which homes are most at risk and ensure the program works as it should.
The department cited mounting financial pressures homeowners face, along with rising insurance costs, as a reason for the program. It added that the pilot program is a proactive approach to build “a more resilient and supportive community.”
Currently, the one-year pilot program will total $100,000 and be distributed to homeowners who meet the income eligibility.
“This funding is a game-changer for families in our community,” said President of the Del Valle Community Coalition Susanna Ledesma Woody. “The financial burden of flood damage can be devastating, and too many residents have been left vulnerable for far too long.”
There is no formal application yet, but according to the city, staff will be working with the coalition to create an application process, which will be shared by the end of this summer.
Officials with the coalition mentioned they will be releasing more details about the program next week, but noted they will be starting the program with the Onion Creek Forest, Dove Springs, and Yarrabee Bend neighborhoods.