Harris County Home Buyout Study

Phase 1 Report 1

Home Buyout Report Cover: 2017 Harvey Flood in Allen Field, with a blue tint added
View Report: English View Fact Sheet View Press Release

Since 2023, researchers from Texas Appleseed, Ronquillo Consulting Group, and the Texas A&M Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center have interviewed a group of participants in a mandatory buyout program in Harris County, Texas, to understand the impact of home buyouts on family well-being. The intent of buyout programs are to move residents away from environmental hazards, like floods. This report is also available in Spanish.

Report Authors

  • Meg Duffy
    Texas Appleseed
  • Maddie Sloan
    Texas Appleseed
  • Tlaloc Fierro
    Texas Appleseed
  • Uyiosa Elegon
    Texas Appleseed
  • Shirley Ronquillo
    Ronquillo Consulting Group
  • Ivis Garcia
    Texas A&M University
  • Shannon Van Zandt
    Texas A&M University
  • Chandler Ian Wilkins
    Texas A&M University
  • Breiana DeGrate
    Texas A&M University
  • Leslie Martinez-Roman
    Texas A&M University
  • Carlos Santos-Rivera
    Texas A&M University

Select Top Findings For This Report

  • Frequent turnover of program staff led to inconsistencies in information provided, protracted relocation times, and imposed unreasonable burdens on relocating households.
  • Program staff lacked responsiveness to homeowner needs and concerns, and many were unable to articulate the rules of the mandatory buyout program.
  • Program delays kept families in storm-damaged housing.
  • Miscommunications and language barriers between residents and County staff made it more difficult for homeowners to navigate the buyout process.
  • Residents felt uncertain about what benefits, if any, they would receive because receiving an offer of financial compensation took longer than a year for many.
  • Many of our participants felt that the County did not offer sufficient funding to purchase and relocate to a home that was comparable to the home they were leaving.
  • Harris County implemented some changes during the mandatory buyout program that benefited participants. In particular, Harris County Commissioner’s Court created the SAFE fund, improved the relocation benefit formula for mobile home park residents, set up temporary offices in mobile home parks, and created an advisory committee to allow some resident leaders to provide feedback to County officials.