King’s vision and Harvey recovery efforts
Today marks 50 years since Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrated what would tragically turn out to be his last birthday at the age of 39. Just a few short months later, the world mourned the loss of a great visionary. Following the success of the civil rights movement, Dr. King called for the elimination of poverty and a “revolution of values” that would cause people to “question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies.” In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Dr. King’s mission and vision take on special resonance as we work to achieve a just recovery for every community. And as we rise to the urgent challenge of preparing for future storms, equity must guide our flood management policies and capital investments going forward — no community can be left behind or left out of the process.
Dr. King understood that without equitable access to affordable housing, economic opportunity, well-maintained infrastructure and a safe and clean environment, that poor and marginalized communities struggle to survive while others often thrive. The result, Dr. King observed, is that, “Every city in our country has this kind of dualism… and so every city ends up being two cities rather than one.” As one of the most economically segregated cities in the country, Houston’s structural inequality has created — to paraphrase Dr. King — islands of poverty amidst a sea of prosperity. It’s past time to send a rescue boat.
The same may be said of Harris County. A study by the Kinder Institute reports 39 percent of Harris County census tracts are now classified as “high poverty,” which is nearly double the national rate. These areas frequently suffer from a lack of investment in critical infrastructure, which leaves these communities especially vulnerable to flooding. Many neighborhoods of high need and vulnerability are often passed over when it comes to funding for flood control projects because the Army Corps of Engineers uses a benefit/cost ratio that prioritizes property values over other factors, including risk to life and livelihood. How can a low-income neighborhood qualify for funding under a formula that is explicitly biased against economically disadvantaged communities? This is why equity matters.
We cannot undo past policy decisions, nor can we control the Army Corps of Engineers. But we can do better at the local level. Fairness and equity must be part of the criteria we use to identify and select new projects that will be built or implemented with any money handed down by state and federal governments. Likewise, any local bond issue that we ask the public to support requires a clear framework for prioritizing and equitably selecting, funding and implementing projects. To develop that framework, we need an honest assessment of how past policy decisions have negatively impacted communities and exacerbated existing inequality. We need to think carefully about the different housing needs of flood victims in different parts of the county. In areas where poor and working-class renters are displaced by home or apartment unit buyouts, we must make sure that affordable housing options and relocation support are available. And we need to welcome and encourage meaningful involvement and participation from all communities. Dr. King once said that, “We all came in on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.” Never did that seem more true than during Harvey’s unprecedented flooding when strangers risked their lives to rescue neighbors in need. People are still in need. We must use that same spirit of cooperation, our love of justice, and commitment to fairness to lift up all communities so that we can rise above whatever challenges we face together.