New report shows some Hurricane Harvey bond projects still have years until construction begins

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A new report on the 2018 flood projects shows construction won't even begin until after the hurricane's 10th anniversary milestone.

As the rain fell across Southeast Texas on Monday, waterways are designed to keep it moving. Plum Creek in southeast Houston, though, is filled with more than water.

Mixed upon the concrete are trees, bushes, and other debris, but there's plan to improve it.

As part of the $2.5 billion Harvey bond approved by voters eight years ago, some of the money would be used to reconstruct the concrete to give it better stability. However, a new report shows construction won't even begin for another four years.

"It's just inexcusable," Bob Rehak said.

Rehak is a county community flood resiliency task force member. He also shares flood project updates through his Reduce Flooding website.

One update he couldn't understand was what's going on with the 2018 bond.

"If you were a CEO of a Fortune 500 company and you couldn't get projects going for ten years, and you were starting them long after the deadlines had expired, how long do you think you'd have your job?" Rehak said.

The update comes after the flood control district lost its leader. For months, commissioners have raised concerns about her performance.

They focused on federally funded projects that have a tight timeline. In order to get millions in funding, they have to be finished by next February.

However, an update shared last month to commissioners shows more than half won't be finished on time.

"The community development block grant projects and the potential loss of hundreds of millions in federal funding made all the headlines, but the problems go much deeper than that," Rehak explained.

Part of what Rehak is referring to is a new 2018 Harvey bond update shared with commissioners last week and obtained by ABC13, which shows how many years away the flood control district is from just starting construction.

The update shows 165 projects already begun construction. Of those, 130 are completed.

However, by next year, when Harvey hits the 10th anniversary, 75 of the projects won't have even had construction begin. Seven of them, the update shows, won't have construction begin until 2033, or 16 years after Hurricane Harvey hit.

The flood control district spokesperson said all projects may not be underway by the 10-year mark; however, they said 80 percent of the bond fund will be spent by the end of 2028.

As for the agency's next leader, we won't have to wait long. Judge Lina Hidalgo said they hope to have someone new in charge of the agency by next week.