Owners elevating home following Hurricane Harvey flooding

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Hundreds of Hurricane Harvey victims are on a waiting list to keep their home from any future flood damage.

In the Westbury subdivision, a homeowner whose home was flooded during Harvey took what will hopefully be the final step in keeping their home dry.

"The water was above those bushes over there and we had about 20 inches inside the house," said homeowner Jane Falk.

The Falk family has been in this home for decades, and at one point, four generations lived there, which is why they decided that they are not moving out. Instead, they're moving up.

"When we were weighing all of our options, knowing that we wanted to stay in this part of town, with approximately this much square footage, the wise option became clear that we would elevate," said Falk.

Dozens of homes around our area have had their foundations elevated in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

It takes about two months of planning and prep work for the lifting to begin, but once the elevation process starts, it's finished in a day.

This house will be going up 4 feet with hopes that their future generations will keep this family high and dry.

The cost of raising a home is not cheap. Some can be done for as little as $50,000. Others cost more than $100,000. There is a program in the State of Texas to help defer the cost, but it is not in place just yet.

Financial help is on the way, according to OLSHAN Foundation employee Chris Cates.

"There is supposed to be funding heading this way," Cates pointed out. "They are saying within the next 60 to 90 days, we should get it. So we are all waiting to see when it is going to get here. They will have to establish a program so everybody plays by the same rules."

The homeowners who live here are bearing the entire cost of this project, but they say it is money well spent to keep their home safe from any future flooding.