In the living room of Doris Brown’s home in Northeast Houston, an array of emergency supplies is prominently displayed.
Cases of water, battery-powered fans, flashlights, and hygiene products are organized and ready for distribution to seven other hub houses throughout the area.
Brown, who is a co-founder of the Northeast Action Collective and co-director of nonprofit West Street Recovery, has set up a hub that acts like a ‘port in a storm,’ where community members can find support during emergencies.
Her hub is based in her garage, lined with additional supplies including portable power generators and a Tesla home battery linked to a rooftop solar array.
With past hurricanes, including Hurricane Beryl which affected over two million households last summer, fresh in her mind, Brown emphasizes the importance of preparation for future power outages.
‘No one was coming to help us,’ Brown stated, indicating the urgency behind building resilience within her community.
A recent survey from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research echoes her sentiments, revealing that nearly 60% of Houston residents believe local officials were unprepared for Hurricane Beryl.
This widespread concern over climate change and the risk of more severe storms is prompting community leaders to cultivate local resilience amid ongoing municipal inefficiencies.
After the devastation of Hurricane Beryl, Brown was actively distributing supplies and checking in on her neighbors, emphasizing a dire need for reliable resources.
During the hurricane, many residents found their nearest community centers lacking essential backup power.
However, plans under Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s administration aim to improve this situation.
Brown supports the initiative which prioritizes the installation of generators at designated community facilities, a change long overdue.
Under the current administration, there are plans to allocate more than $150 million in federal recovery funds toward enhancing power protection at 100 city-owned sites, such as community centers and emergency services.
Angela Blanchard, the city’s chief recovery and resiliency officer, notes that the city’s previous ‘Resilient Houston’ plan, instituted in 2020, lacked adequate execution, particularly in addressing electricity during emergencies.
‘We’ve been encouraged to focus on execution,’ Blanchard stated, highlighting the priority to address critical infrastructure needs in preparation for future catastrophes.
Nevertheless, the allocation of funds has sparked criticism, particularly from advocates like Brown.
While supportive of the power protection initiative, which uses a significant portion of the recovery funds, Brown disapproves of the limited $50 million earmarked for housing needs, particularly when unmet housing needs identify a gap of around $230 million.
‘If we do not address this unmet need for housing, it is going to be many more homeless people out there,’ she cautioned.
In addition to housing, the city plans to invest in homeless services and debris removal capacity, responding to protests over earlier funding allocations.
Despite criticism regarding the slow progress in bolstering municipal resilience, Blanchard remains optimistic about community-led initiatives.
‘We’re so enthusiastic about seeing that level of activity on the ground in neighborhoods because the fundamental unit of resilience is the home, then the community,’ she said.
However, the existence of community hubs in Northeast Houston highlights a stark contrast in disaster preparedness compared to the city at large.
While residents in the area are taking significant steps to support each other, a wider survey indicates that many Houstonians feel prepared without actually following through on recommended emergency actions.
According to the Kinder Institute, the average Houstonian has taken only three out of ten recommended preparedness steps, even though 68% feel ready for disasters.
Many residents limited their preparations before Hurricane Beryl to charging devices and refueling vehicles, showcasing a surprising disconnect between perceived and actual preparedness.
FEMA offers comprehensive recommendations for disaster preparedness, including securing homes, documenting property, and establishing emergency plans.
Yet, research indicates that significant portions of the population fall short on several of these recommendations.
Groups in Brown’s community take a different approach, driven by a clear understanding of their unique needs and the lack of government support.
Experts recognize this disparity, noting that the economic constraints many individuals face can significantly hinder their ability to prepare adequately.
Dan Potter, director of the Houston Population Research Center, emphasizes the importance of recognizing that disaster preparedness often falls on individuals, which can amplify existing inequalities.
As the climate crisis accelerates, Doris Brown remains determined.
‘We have to look out for ourselves,’ she stated, urging everyone to be proactive in their preparation.
She believes that the continued focus on self-sufficiency is crucial as the frequency of severe weather events increases.
‘I’m just hoping that everyone will get prepared and stay prepared for these eventualities.
Because there are going to be more, and if we’re not prepared, we might get washed away.’
Brown’s commitment to her community and proactive measures exemplify how grassroots efforts play a pivotal role in fostering resilience in the face of growing environmental challenges.
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
