In the process of purchasing the Joan of Arc property, I got to know the previous owner, who had lived at that location for decades. She shared with me her struggles about surviving floods in her home. I was inspired to build a new house so that its future homeowner would feel more comfortable when a severe rainstorm would hit Houston. The new house's finished floor of the foundation is two feet above the crown of the road (which is over 3.5 feet above the old home's floor). In addition, the french drains around the perimeter, coupled with the finished grade, will allow any excess water in the back and side to escape faster.

When Hurricane Harvey dropped eight inches of water in two hours on Saturday August 26 at 8:00 p.m., Bunker Hill Road was about two feet under water. The water came 23 feet from the front door and never entered house. There was no ponding in the back yard and the back yard drained perfectly. Further, the driveway was never under water.

I am truly grateful that the JOA home was spared, but I realize that others were not so fortunate. My fellow Houstonians are still out there struggling and my prayers are with them. When the sun finally came up on Wednesday, so did the spirits of many people. The rebuilding has already began. From what I've seen in Houston, the city is resilient and we will rebuild it together, one house at a time. #HoustonStrong