Listen
After years of delays, two Meyerland flood victims will finally get their homes elevated.
The two homes in the southwest corner of the 610 Loop by Brays Bayou were inundated during the Memorial Day flood of 2015.
The contractor, Titan Lifetime Foundations, was approved to receive FEMA grants to elevate these and several other homes, but never finished due to financial problems. The company's president died last year, shortly after an ultimatum by the city.
Now, City Council has voted to award contracts to another company to complete the work.
Some council members had an issue with the price tag – more than $634,000 for both homes combined.
"My point is, I can build a really nice house for $368,000 from scratch,” said District E Council member Dave Martin.
At-large Council member Michael Kubosh initially tagged the item to delay a vote, but changed his mind after some of his colleagues argued that the homeowners have waited long enough. He ended up voting for the measure.
Council members Martin, Jack Christie and Greg Travis voted against it.
The FEMA grant will cover nearly all of the costs, except $438.50 per home in administrative costs that the city will pay.
The council also approved two other home elevation contracts, which are mostly paid by FEMA grants.