Mayor assures Kingwood residents they haven't been forgotten

KINGWOOD, Texas (FOX 26) - "We need help with traffic and with knowing what's going on," said one Kingwood resident who was among several gathered around Houston's mayor.

"Is our water ok?" another resident asked the mayor, who replied yes.

To say Kingwood was hard hit by Harvey is an understatement. Every street has piles of debris.

"We can't get to the debris because cars are stalled out in front of all the debris," a Kingwood resident said to the mayor.

"We've assigned the San Antonio crews specifically for Kingwood," Mayor Sylvester Turner told the crowd that had gathered around him.

Turner says getting all the debris picked up is the number one concern.

"There are many many more contractors being added for the removal,"" the mayor said.

Forest Cove is an area that has flooded many times and Turner says FEMA might offer some homeowners buyouts.

"I think FEMA certainly wants to work with them in homes that have been flooded over and over again," Turner said. "It's a sensitive sort of deal because their homes have been flooded several times but they still want to stay in the community."

Harvey wasn't the sole cause for so much destruction in Kingwood. "When water was released from Lake Conroe that added to the damage that's been done," said Turner.

City Councilman Dave Martin says the San Jacinto River Authority, which oversees the Lake Conroe release, needs to be investigated.

Martin says no homes in The Woodlands were flooded by the release.

"I think they're protecting their own interests," Martin said. "I think you look at the San Jacinto River Authority, Google who's on that Authority and where they live, they're protecting the best interest of their area," Martin says.

"But you know that's over we're ready to go get out of here you know get it right and that's all," said Kingwood resident Jack Freeman.

No mater how bad things are now some residents still aren't ready to say goodbye to the livable forest.

"Stay? I've got no choice my granddaughter is here," Freeman said. "That's why I came to this god forsaken place."