Hurricane Harvey
Houston is facing significant burdens in recovering from the unprecedented flooding brought by Hurricane Harvey, and our historic neighborhoods will have their own unique challenges. Preservation Houston is here to provide professional advice and accurate, timely information about the resources available for the owners of flood-damaged historic properties. We will be collecting some of that information here; if you have questions, please contact us.
You may also want to sign up for our News e-mail alerts and follow Preservation Houston on Facebook for further Harvey-related information.
Read our first post-storm statement from Aug. 29 →
Make a tax-deductible donation to help PH help the owners of flood-damaged historic properties →
General information for those wanting to volunteer/donate or those in need of help: harveyneeds.org
News and announcements
- Our fall Architecture Walks schedule has been shuffled. We'll be offering a tour of Turner Addition on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 8, and a tour of Shadow Lawn and Waverly Court on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 12.
Online recovery resources
Preservation Houston has been collecting information to help Houstonians begin the recovery process after Hurricane Harvey. Some of the materials will be useful to all property owners, while others are geared toward the owners of historic homes and buildings.
Here's a list of resources to get started.
Other links and guides:
For homes and buildings that took on water
- A guide to drying of historic properties (Apollo BBC)
- Dealing with mold and mildew in your flood-damaged home (FEMA)
Dealing with flood-damaged items
- Salvage flood-damaged photos (Operation Photo Rescue)
- Flooded & wet: DIY heirloom recovery (Galveston Historical Foundation)
- Emergency salvage of family treasures (UT-Austin School of Information)
- After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures (FEMA)
Insurance and federal aid claims
- What to expect after you apply for FEMA aid (Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans)
What we're doing
In addition to collecting and distributing information and resources, Preservation Houston is:
- Staying in contact with Texas Historical Commission regarding the state's response to Harvey.
- Helping THC to identify potential National Register historic districts. This is a very important task because FEMA is required to focus its preservation efforts on properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and properties that are eligible for listing.
- Working with other state, regional and local organizations including Preservation Texas, which will assist with recovery resources, and Galveston Historical Foundation and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, both of which have extensive experience dealing with historic buildings and natural disasters.
- Speaking with representatives of historic neighborhoods and the owners of historic properties across Houston to help them assess their needs in the storm's wake.
Preservation Houston is your local historic preservation organization. Our members, volunteers, board and staff are your friends and neighbors. We have shared your experiences in this life-changing event, and we will continue working on behalf of Houston's historic resources as the post-Harvey situation develops.
Thank you for your support, which allows us to continue our community-focused work.
Updated September 29, 2017