Where to Get Funding for Houston’s People-Powered Plan.
This is a personal follow-up after my July 29 presentation and our recent correspondence. With $314 million available in city disaster and public health funding, Houston is ready to set the national example—but your leadership is needed.
The six steps below are immediate actions to activate proven disaster protection for neighborhoods like Northwood Manor, Sunnyside, Alief, and more. Each step is fully funded, legally supported, and simple to execute.
"The Ask"
| # | Action | What to Do (with Links) | Department Connection | Reference / Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acknowledge Receipt | Confirm you received the full 12-Step Plan and summary. 👉 Download the Plan Here |
HHD & OEM both need to engage with the Plan content | City Code Ch. 2 Art. IX; Gov’t Code Ch. 253 (City property use) |
| 2 | Review & Respond | Provide brief written feedback. | HHD: Review for public health priorities OEM: Emergency management integration |
Houston Procurement Code & FEMA PA reporting |
| 3 | Schedule a Session | Book a meeting (virtual or in-person) before August 31, 2025. 👉 Book a Session |
HHD & OEM for cross-departmental coordination | City Council scheduling rules |
| 4 | State Your Support | Indicate what financial or administrative support your office can provide. Fair ask: 8% ($25.2M) of disaster funds. If not possible, provide written acknowledgment of support with city seal. |
HHD: Funding for health resilience elements OEM: Funding emergency infrastructure & communications |
FEMA PA [44 CFR 206.438], CDBG-DR, CDC PHEP |
| 5 | Commit to Citywide Action | Take active steps to: - Cut procedural delays/red tape - Use City properties as resilience hubs - Fund education, communications & technology - Pilot and scale to more neighborhoods |
HHD: Health-focused resilience hubs, community outreach OEM: Emergency ops centers, AR alerts, drills |
Sec. 6-18 (OEM duties); City Ordinances; Federal grant guidelines |
| 6 | Amplify Community Voices | Share the “Your Voice” survey in newsletters and public communications for Northwood Manor, Sunnyside, Alief, and similar neighborhoods. | HHD: Health equity outreach and feedback OEM: Public preparedness engagement |
CDBG-DR; CDC—community participation grant requirements |
Why It Matters
Northwood Manor’s pilot is a blueprint for all Houston neighborhoods. The city’s role now is simple: act, invest equitably, and lead. All funding, legal, and department mandates are already in place—there’s nothing stopping us but delay.
Plan Highlights Table Selected by Houston Communities :
| Plan Component | How it Supports Houston Departments | Department Connection | Legal & Funding References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resilience Hubs & Microgrids | Serve as emergency health sites (cooling, medication) and resilient power hubs for communities. | HHD: Emergency health operations, vaccine/med storage OEM: Emergency operations centers, microgrid power |
Houston Code Ch. 2 Art. IX; Gov’t Code Ch. 253; FEMA PA, CDBG-DR; CDC PHEP |
| Augmented Reality (AR) Disaster Technology | Provides multilingual alerts, evacuation maps, and real-time health messaging to residents. | OEM: Disaster alerting, evacuation routing HHD: Public health warnings, outbreak notices |
City Ord. Sec. 6-18; FEMA HMGP; CDC PHEP; SMART911 precedent |
| Communication, Education & Engagement | 24/7 disaster communications, community drills, and health resilience trainings. | OEM: Community preparedness drills and engagement HHD: Health education on mental health, heat stress, elder care |
FEMA & CDC community engagement rules; Houston Procurement Code |
| Project Management, Compliance & Evaluation | Transparent reporting, milestone-based payments, and annual publication maintain fiscal and operational accountability. | HHD & OEM jointly ensure program compliance, reporting, and continuous improvement | Texas Public Information Act; Houston Procurement Code; FEMA reporting mandates |
Your reply confirming any of the six steps—by August 31, 2025—your rely is needed for the public record.
If you have questions or want to discuss next steps, reply or use the meeting scheduler above or send a direct response to nashford@solelint.org.
Leadership is measured not by what we promise, but by what we make possible for those who need us most. The power to protect lives and neighborhoods is in your hands—and what you fund today will define Houston’s legacy tomorrow. If tested, scalable solutions are here and you choose not to act, then who will?.
- Danny Asberry El, President