Texas Realtors Pitching In to Help Harvey Victims

There is nothing like being in your own warm, dry, clean home. But for almost one-third of Houston and residents in other southeast Texas coastal cities, that feeling will be several months off. But the Texas real estate community is gearing up in a frenzy that almost rivals the size of the cat 4 storm that has crippled and drowned out Houston and the Texas Gulf coast. As we hear about these missions, big or small, we will pass them along. 

Keller Williams’ has always been one of the first brokerages to respond to tragedy. KW’s charity arm, KW Cares, has three bright-red 18-wheeler trucks parked at a depot outside Austin, Texas, ready to enter Houston:

They are packed with generators, nonperishable food, diapers, cleaning supplies, wheelbarrows, flashlights and more, everything you would need to clean up a flooded home. The trucks have been waiting to roll out since Monday, unable to move because of flooded roadways. Only the National Guard is allowing trucks in, their own:

“The National Guard is there and won’t let you through,” said KW Cares executive director, Kathy Neu. “In times past, we might have gotten some kind of permit to get through, but this is so much bigger than anything we’ve experienced, and they are not issuing anything yet.”

Other large real estate brokerages are also pitching in to help. Realogy, the huge parent company of Coldwell Banker and Sotheby’s, originally pledged to match up to $50,000 for Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief for funds raised via the Realogy Charitable Foundation.

But, the company passed that goal, so they increased the total match to $75,000!

“Our thoughts continue to be with everyone who is being impacted by Hurricane Harvey,” said a spokesperson from Coldwell Banker, a Realogy franchise brand.

Coldwell Banker’s D’Ann Harper in Texas has launched a fundraiser with the American Red Cross to help by raising funds, volunteering and coordinating with local shelters.

Re/Max, which has more than 2,600 associates in the Texas Gulf Coast directly impacted by the storm, got a communication central up lickety split and started handing out resources:

“We’re creating an online hub with information and resources for anyone affected including help and support from surrounding Re/Max offices,” said Adam Contos, Co-CEO at Re/Max. “We are one community of Realtors supporting each other. In addition, Re/Max, LLC is donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross to aid relief efforts in the days, weeks and months to come and we’ll continue to look for ways to support those in need.”

A number of Re/Max offices and agents have collected supplies, and a Mike Casey of Re/Max Trinity is working with an elite disaster response team called Storm Warriors. The plan is to stock 18-wheelers full of food and goods, then drive them down to people in the disaster areas.

Of course, the National Association of Realtors is working hard, helping the Texas Association of Realtors to best support the agents in the state, particularly those who may have a water-soaked home. The Realtor Relief Foundation makes 100 percent of donated funds available to members and consumers to assist with housing-related needs.

“The immediate focus of the National Association of Realtors and its 1.2 million Realtor members is to support those affected by this tragic natural disaster,” said NAR president Bill Brown.

The Realtor Relief Foundation is also collecting donations.

“Without a doubt, there will be many families in the greater Houston area who need our help,” Brown added. “It will take time to know the full impact of Hurricane Harvey, but we know the devastation will be widespread and that our support will be necessary.”

The Houston Association of Realtors: all four HAR offices are closed and all real estate classes are cancelled until further notice. But they have put up a new Facebook page called “Realtors Helping Houston Texas.” Facebook has become a very effective communications tool in Harvey: a flooded TV news station resorted to Facebook live broadcasting when news crews were forced out of the studio.

On Monday afternoon, Keller Williams sent an email out to all staff to outline steps taken to help its agents since other agents have asked what they can do to help. 

“Due to large amounts of flooding and destruction, KW Cares estimates that we will need to raise millions to aid those affected,” the company said, directing those able to assist to kwrelief.org to contribute monetary donations and indicate that it’s for Hurricane Harvey. “Our primary need is for financial donations as well as Visa, Target and Walmart gift cards.”

KW Cares hopes to implement the “Heart to Heart” program, in which a center or agency can elect to “adopt” a family and provide for their needs over the coming weeks. What a fantastic idea!