HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Residents of Montrose are increasingly frustrated with the lack of drainage improvements in their neighborhood, and they are growing impatient with the mayor’s reluctance to acknowledge the flooding issues they face, especially with more wet weather on the horizon.
“We have 60-year-old drainage infrastructure, so even a little rain leads to a lot of flooding,” said resident Mehdi Rais.
Alexander Spike recounted how his 90-year-old grandmother’s car got flooded, leaving her stranded until nail salon technicians rescued her after she had waited for hours.
Both Spike and Rais have been vocal supporters of the Montrose Boulevard Improvement Project, which aims to repair sidewalks, remove trees, add bike lanes, and replace the outdated drainage system on Montrose Boulevard.
Construction on the project was supposed to start in February, but it has yet to begin.
The Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), a special tax-collecting zone promoting growth in specific areas, funded the $14.7 million first segment of the project. However, it requires mayoral approval to proceed, which Mayor John Whitmire has withheld, pausing this and several other city projects.
In a May interview with Houston Public Media, Mayor Whitmire said, “It’s very disputable whether Montrose at its high elevation relative to Houston is a major drainage concern.”
Mayor Whitmire’s office on Tuesday but was informed that he was unavailable. The plan remains on hold, and no timeline for when this might change has been provided.
“‘Under review.’ This is the mayor of transparency. I think that’s what he campaigned on. I don’t see the transparency,” Spike said. “Our concerns aren’t being heard, and our concerns aren’t turning into action. You know, I thought we built stuff here. Let’s get building. Let’s get to work.”
