Residents in neighborhood that flooded say city didn't communicate about filing claims

Residents on Mearns Meadow Boulevard in north Austin are still in the process of rebuilding their homes after their neighborhood flooded due to a culvert clogged with leftover winter storm debris.

AUSTIN, Texas - Back in April, we told you about neighbors on Mearns Meadow Blvd. in North Austin frustrated because their homes flooded. That's because debris from the February ice storm clogged a culvert, so when it rained in April, the water didn't have anywhere to go.

Neighbors blamed the city for not keeping the creek system clear, especially after the February ice storm.

"Sixty plus homes were flooded due to Watershed's negligence and maintaining the creek system," resident Ryan Albright said.

Severe weather and leftover storm debris leads to flooding in North Austin

Leftover debris from the recent winter freeze led to heavy flooding in North Austin creeks during this week's severe storms. Residents say the City is to blame.

Albright is still in the process of repairing his house after the flooding.

"We had to gut the entire house. We're in the process now of rebuilding a bathroom so that we have a bathroom. We still don't have a kitchen. We're sleeping on the floor," he said.

Albright says the city hasn't been communicating about filing claims, and only a fraction of affected residents were in the loop.

He refers to a memo from the city manager's office to City Council members in response to a resolution about getting resources to affected residents.

"In the report, it clearly states that the city has reached out and notified and informed residents of the aid available, of the possibilities they have, that they should be filing claims with the city," he said. "This is an absolute falsehood. There has been no mail, no door knocking, no phone calls, nothing."

North Austin neighborhood sees relief after flooding from storms

Austin Disaster Relief Network volunteers offered financial assistance, cleanup kits and emotional support to a North Austin neighborhood near Little Walnut Creek, which flooded in the recent severe storms due to winter storm debris buildup.

The memo says residents have 45 days from the incident to file a claim, which Albright says many neighbors weren't aware of, and the deadline has already passed.

"Most of the people affected here are elderly. How is an elderly individual going to navigate a city website and know how to file a claim?" he said. "Everything has been slow rolled. There's been no communication. There's been no effort by the city to actually come out here and take responsibility for the damage that they caused."

He also says potholes and erosion sites are an issue.

"The neighborhood is broken, and the city is letting it be broken, and they want no part in repairing it," he said.

The city released the following statement:

Immediately following the flooding event, the City’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) coordinated with the Red Cross and then with the Austin Disaster Relief Network to reach residents and gather information. In addition, staff from Watershed Protection has been in frequent contact with affected residents to connect them with available City of Austin resources, including the claims process, as well as non-profit organizations in the area that may be able to assist. HSEM also coordinated with the Texas Department of Emergency Management and the Development Services Department’s Code Division to canvass the neighborhood, knocking on doors and providing information on low interest loans through the Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Loans program.

The city has received approximately a dozen claims so far and continues to evaluate claims submitted.

The 2023 South Central Texas Ice Storm had significant impacts on Austin’s trees and creeks. Citywide, Watershed Protection crews have addressed more than 220 work orders related to open waterway maintenance since the ice storm. A considerable effort has been made in the Mearns Meadow area. Most, if not all, work orders have been completed in this area. More than 190 tons of brush and debris were removed from Austin’s drainage system after the April 20 storm, representing an almost 250% increase from the previous five-year average.

After the April 20 storm, Watershed Protection staff reassessed several known erosion sites in Little Walnut Creek along Mearns Meadow Blvd. Staff found several additional sites. No houses are threatened, but there are fences, yards and utilities at risk. This area may be a candidate for a streambank stabilization project in the future. For perspective, the City of Austin has documented 2,100 erosion sites citywide and has to prioritize stabilization projects based on the number, frequency and severity of the sites. About 700 of the 2,100 sites have been repaired through these projects.

Austin Transportation and Public Works crews will be performing street maintenance in the area this summer, and crews remain on standby to respond to individual road issues like potholes. Those are best addressed by reporting via Austin 3-1-1.

Crack seal treatments are planned for Neans Drive and Ken Street, while Kramer Lane is slated for a mill and overlay. You can learn more about planned street maintenance and view an interactive map at https://austintexas.gov/StreetMaintenance.