Neighborhood needs help with flood cleanup
A Southeast Austin neighborhood ravaged by the Halloween floods still needs a lot of help getting things cleaned up and back to normal.
Tucked away off F.M. 973 is the Thoroughbred Farms subdivision. Now, buried underneath the rubble are the trinkets and memories of those who live here.
“The water came up so fast we couldn't even leave," David Paulson, resident, said.
Paulson says he got 19 inches of rain inside his house.
"My car was sitting here at the end of the driveway like it is right now and six inches of water started coming under the tires and I saw a car floating down the road," he said.
It's the same song for many who live here. Now, two-weeks later, the cleanup process lingers.
"My sister’s workmates came out and helped gut the house too and help take furniture out,” Paulson said.
Travis County officials say they are experiencing volunteer fatigue, or a shortage in help, especially in this area.
Wiatt Warren and the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief crew are helping however they can, emphasizing their work being a connection to their faith.
"I've been in and out this week, some of these guys have been here for two weeks straight," Warren said.
Warren is from Wimberley.
"Memorial Day weekend we were flooded so we have a taste of what it's like to be on the other end of this," he said.
While the flood has passed, the damage still lasts.
"Thoroughbred Farms is always forgotten. It's always,’ let's go to onion creek, but nothing about thoroughbred farms,’" Paulson said.
The rebuilding process could take a while, but people who live here are ready for their next chapters.
"I'm just thankful we're still alive out here, but yeah we would like a little more help,” Paulson said.
If you want to help, visit austintexas.gov/howtohelp.