Houston Republic

The city of Houston is grateful for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding announced last week, Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a recent Facebook post.

"The city of Houston is sending a big thank you to Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who this week secured $1.6 million in FEMA funding for repairs to the Kendall Library and Community Center," Turner posted on April 14.

The city's thank you to Rep. Fletcher (D-Houston) came the day after the congresswoman from Texas’ Seventh Congressional District announced the funding had been secured.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner | https://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/

"Libraries are vital centers across our community, and the damage to the Kendall Library and Community Center during Hurricane Harvey resulted in a real loss for our community," Fletcher said. "That is why I am so glad to announce today FEMA’s grant of nearly $1.7 million to help ensure that the city of Houston and Houston Public Libraries can move forward with much-needed repairs, restoring both the building and this important community center of activity."  

The Seventh Congressional District covers the entirety of Harris County and includes Houston, Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village, Hedwig Village, Hilshire Village, Hunters Creek Village, Jersey Village, Piney Point Village, Southside Place, Spring Valley Village, West University Place and unincorporated Harris County west to Katy.

Kendall Library and Community Center, also called the Houston Public Library Kendall Neighborhood Library, is on North Eldridge in Houston. The facility is the city's first and only combined public library and community center, which more than a decade ago replaced an existing, outdated neighborhood branch that no longer met the community’s needs.

Harvey, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, was a major rain event in Houston, during which Kendall Library sustained extensive flood damage.

The library and community center's subsequent closing has been difficult for the surrounding community.

"Because libraries are a place of learning and a place for people to connect with their neighbors," Turner said in his Facebook post.

The "much-needed infusion of" FEMA funds will allow work on repairs to move forward, Turner said. 

That work includes phased renovation of the existing three-story library and community center, and new finishes to restrooms, painting and flooring throughout a majority of the facility, including its plumbing and gymnasium, and miscellaneous finishes.

Exterior improvements are expected to include sidewalks and parking areas, limited fencing and site furnishings replacement, a new flood wall, utilities, landscaping and irrigation.