AUSTIN, Texas — For many Austinites, the threat of flooding is a big concern, so some city leaders want to make sure it's addressed in the next budget.
On Thursday, councilmembers agreed to approve an item that could help people who live in or near floodplains.
"Ultimately, decided it was a little too risky and didn't make that purchase," Bob Easley, an Onion Creek neighbor, said.
Easley and his wife had to consider floodplains in 2014 when moving to the Onion Creek neighborhood.
"It was long before any buyout by the city. And so, as we were looking at homes in the area, we looked at some that had been flooded," Easley said.
The spot just off of Onion Creek in southeast Austin used to have a number of homes, but numerous serious floods over the years prompted the city to hold a buyout program, designed to purchase and tear down homes in the floodplain.
Some neighbors still live nearby, and they say the memories of those floods are still fresh.
"I actually did drive by where I saw homes being torn down, and it really did hit me that that was somebody's home," Easley said. "Not just a house, but someone's home and all gone."
Now that's on the mind of Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes.
"In fact, the first item I brought forward on council was related to flood resilience," Fuentes said.
Council members approved Fuentes' proposal on Thursday, which will increase the conversation around flooding in Austin and help bridge gaps for homeowners.
"This item seeks to reduce financial barriers to flood insurance. It increases outreach and public education efforts around flood preparedness," Fuentes said. "With our climate crisis worsening, we can only expect more severe weather events. I mean, take a look at what's happening in Houston and other cities."
With Thursday's approval, Fuentes said this will be a priority for the city as budget talks for next year begin.