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The Lasting Impact of Hurricane Harvey on Housing

Hurricane Harvey’s destruction is still being felt in some of Houston’s neighborhoods, according to a  Kaiser Family Foundation/Episcopal Health Foundation survey [1]. According to the survey, around three in 10 residents of the Texas Gulf Coast state said that their lives still remain disrupted by the impact of the Hurricane.

According to the survey, 70 percent of affected residents said their lives were nearly back to normal compared to 56 percent three months after the hurricane.

“One year later, many of those with the fewest resources are still struggling to bounce back from Harvey’s punch,” said Elena Marks, President, and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation. “This kind of information is crucial to letting government and other recovery groups know what Texans still need for a long-term comeback.”

Of those who had experienced property loss, around a quarter said that their financial situation was still worse. Additionally, one in six said their quality of life was worse. Poor and minority groups were the hardest hit.

“Everything always hits the poor harder than it does everybody else,” John Sharp, the head of the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas told the New York Times [2].

One in five residents in the 24-county area covered by the survey experienced severe damage to their home while eight percent remain displaced from their pre-Harvey home.

“This survey shows how much Harvey continues to haunt many across coastal Texas, with significant shares reporting ongoing challenges with their housing, finances, and health,” said Drew Altman, President, and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Residents’ top priorities include both preparing for future storms and providing financial assistance and help to rebuild homes for those who need it.”

The survey found that Hispanic Americans were the most impacted by Harvey. It found that 27 percent of Hispanic Americans have homes that are still unsafe due to damage, compared to 20 percent of blacks and 11 percent of whites.

Find the full report here. [1]