Shelter From the Storm

It was around 11 p.m. when McClain was awakened by a knock at the door. (McClain asked to be identified by her last name.) Days of rain had already flooded Amarillo’s streets, and that night, June 7, 2023, it was coming down harder than ever. “Our neighbors told us to move our cars to higher ground,” she says. “Had they not woken us up, we would have lost a lot more.”

The water had risen quickly while McClain slept. A current rushed into her home when she opened the door. It was 3 feet deep in places outside, up to her car’s windows. The flooding poured into her vehicle and seeped into its electrical systems. Fortunately, the vehicle started.

McClain left her home, staying in a hotel, then with family out of town. “It took nine days before Amarillo was able to pump water out of our neighborhood,” McClain says. Two months passed before she was reunited with her indoor cats, Wally and Eddie.

Today, McClain is still trying to put things back together. The house needs foundation repairs as well as new flooring and furniture. She lost a lot of clothes in the flood. “We’re rebuilding from scratch,” she says. “I’m hoping by Christmas we can have our home back.”

REALTORS® Offer Assistance to Texans Affected by Disasters

Natural disasters are unavoidable, but Texas REALTORS® offers help in the wake of major events. The association has two disaster relief funds that can assist with expenses incurred during crises. Members can apply to the Texas REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund, while members and residents can apply to the Texas REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund for Texans.

McClain applied to receive funds toward her hotel bill. “Within a couple of months, I got a check in the mail,” she says. “We appreciated the assistance.”

From Declaration to Relief

Here’s how the relief funds work: First, the governor must issue a disaster declaration for a county or multiple counties that have been affected by a flood, fire, tornado, or other disaster. A local REALTOR® association then can apply to Texas REALTORS® to open up the relief funds to members or residents in that area.

The Texas REALTORS® Leadership Team assesses the situation and determines whether to open the relief funds and the amount of funds to provide for that particular disaster. From there, association staff works with the local board to open the application process. Members of the public and REALTORS® can then apply online for funds.

Applicants must describe the property damage caused by the disaster and include supporting documents, such as:

• A copy of their driver’s license
• Proof the affected property is their primary residence, such as a mortgage statement
• Proof to show they’ve been displaced, such as hotel bills or insurance claims.

Once an application is approved, the association sends out a check and award letter.

In times of need, relief fund applicants benefit from the strong ties local REALTORS® have built with their communities and the state association. “This allows Texas REALTORS® to quickly learn what happened, where the needs are, how much money might be needed to provide temporary shelter for those displaced, and to respond,” says Texas REALTORS® President/CEO Travis Kessler.

Seeing the Devastation Firsthand

“We’re used to hurricanes in the area, but I never dreamt we’d be dealing with a tornado,” says Lindsey Martinez, association executive of the South Padre Island Board of REALTORS®.

On May 13, 2023, a tornado formed in Cameron County. It demolished everything in its path with winds higher than 100 miles per hour. The hardest hit area was Laguna Heights, an unincorporated community a few miles west of South Padre Island.

“There’s probably several hundred people who live there full-time,” Martinez says. “The community is part of a colonia. It’s underdeveloped. Some of the people are living there in trailers and didn’t have access to electricity or water to begin with.”

Another challenge was a language barrier; many of Laguna Heights’s residents only speak Spanish. Residents came to the board’s office, and association staff helped the residents fill out the relief fund applications. The fund approved 15 applications for aid, Martinez says. “There were so many stories of loss. We know of one gentleman who died. A couple of people were in the hospital. Many families had lost everything—even their identification. A few are still living in hotels and are displaced,” she says.

Martinez saw the aftermath firsthand. “It was very emotional to hear the stories. There were children who still had to go to school while dealing with the aftermath. They had lost their clothes and toys. It was shocking to see the damage where the tornado had been. It devastated the part of town that really couldn’t afford to be devastated.”

Martinez drives past Laguna Heights every day. She saw REALTORS® working with residents and the Salvation Army and Red Cross. Today Laguna Heights almost looks normal again, she says. “The community is improving and rebuilding. It’s amazing how fast the community came together to help with the labor, funds, and food.”

Ready and Waiting to Help

Vanessa Dirks served as 2022-2023 Texas REALTORS® Regional Vice President for Region 1 in the Texas Panhandle. “In June, the region was hit with three disasters during a two-week period,” she says. “Amarillo flooded in early June, the Perryton tornado hit on June 15, and then the Matador tornado hit June 21.”

Dirks had never worked with the disaster relief funds before this; she coordinated with the local REALTOR® association executives in Amarillo and Lubbock, who also had not worked with the disaster relief before.

Connectivity was a challenge for many REALTORS®. Dirks notes that the lack of power and other services hindered the application process. “They were so hard hit,” she says. “Folks weren’t able to fill out these applications. One of the conversations we had was, ‘Do we go out there with tablets?’ It was a learning experience. If there is a next time, I think we will be better prepared. In the future, we will need to be more hands-on, going out to the communities and assisting with the applications.”

Dirks stayed in communication with Texas REALTORS® leaders during the aftermath. Another challenge was applicants getting the receipts and documentation needed to get reimbursed for accommodation costs. These areas have limited accommodations.

Dirks remembers seeing the storm damage herself. “I was traveling east on 380 from Lubbock to Graham. I saw roofs torn off. Buildings demolished. My husband’s friends lost their home in that tornado. Each of us assisting with getting the relief, we had that personal connection to it. We saw the need.”

REALTORS® have been part of the relief efforts in dozens of disasters across the state in the past, and REALTORS® will be there to provide assistance the next time, too.