HOUSTON – Can you imagine the horror of having your home flooded out — everything wiped out — not once but twice?
It happened to Ed Wolff and his wife Katy last Memorial Day weekend, and now it has happened all over again. The couple spent a total $240,000 rebuilding from the 2015 flood after finishing repairs just 6 weeks ago.
“Last time we had 18 inches of water come rushing in very rapidly," Ed Wolff said. "It caused us to have to remodel the entire 3,500 square feet. It ripped up the three bathrooms (and) the kitchen.”
The Wolffs are not alone.
Wednesday night, hundreds of people came to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s town hall meeting at Mark Twain Elementary School on Braes Boulevard in Houston, to find out how officials plan to help the victims of this latest flooding disaster.
Many of the families who attended are repeat victims of Houston floods.
Dave Neumann and his wife have two children and were hit with $50,000 in damages last year.
The Neumanns had not even started remodeling, and now they have been hit again. The couple has decided to move out — they said they've had enough.
“We’re going to try to find a new place to live. We don’t trust Braes Bayou anymore," Neumann said.
During the meeting, Turner asked the audience to not leave their homes but to rebuild. He promised to make this flood recovery faster and with as little hassle as possible.
Turner told the people he is working with Washington to bring federal money here as quickly as possible.
He said residents would not have to drive Downtown to constantly apply for new permits. The city will set up mobile permitting centers within the neighborhoods, the mayor said.
He said he plans to fast-track relief funds.
Homeowner Wes Bowden recently bought his Meyerland home 3 weeks ago and was in the process of remodeling when the flood waters came this week. Bowden said nearly 8 inches of water flowed into his residence, destroying brand new drywall and kitchen cabinets.
Wes came to Wednesday’s meeting for one reason: He wanted information to help him apply for FEMA disaster relief as quickly as possible.
“I’m trying to get the federal grants," Bowden said. "I want Washington to declare this a national disaster, disaster area."
He said when the flood came, he was just getting ready to paint. Now he has to start all over.