Northeast Action Collective makes headway in fight for better drainage infrastructure

In northeast Houston, Black and Hispanic residents endure the recurring nightmare of being marooned in their own neighborhoods every time heavy rainfall hits, a result of decades of neglect in drainage infrastructure.

Kourtney Revels, a long-time resident of the Verde Forest neighborhood, experiences the distress firsthand. Overflowing ditches during downpours often inundate their streets, making it impassable and trapping them inside their community.

According to Alice Liu, co-director of organizing for West Street Recovery, the area’s drainage infrastructure, dominated by open ditches, is woefully outdated and poorly maintained, exacerbating flood risks. Liu highlights additional environmental justice concerns, including the proximity of toxic sites, truck routes, and illegal dumping, compounding the pollution problem.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey brought these issues to the forefront, disproportionately affecting northeast Houston, home to a predominantly Black and Hispanic population. The Northeast Action Collective (NAC), formed by flood survivors in response to Harvey, has been instrumental in advocating for drainage equity and pressing for policy changes at City Hall.

NAC’s efforts have yielded significant victories, including shifting the responsibility of ditch maintenance back to the City and securing additional funding for local drainage projects. Despite these wins, challenges persist, and the fight for permanent funding and comprehensive infrastructure improvements continues.

For Revels and others like her, the struggle for a safer, more equitable community is far from over. As they continue to rally alongside NAC, their goal remains clear: to restore their neighborhoods to their former vibrancy and ensure a brighter future for all residents.