Houston boards need a plan before the season starts.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. In the Houston area, storms bring wind, rain and flooding, and also long power outages. Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 brought record flooding to the region. Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 caused outages and burst pipes. A severe windstorm in May 2024 and Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 left large parts of the area without power for days. Association boards that planned ahead had checklists, vendors and records ready when it mattered.
Before the season: a board checklist
- Insurance review. Confirm what the association's policies cover, including windstorm or named-storm deductibles, and whether flood coverage exists for association-owned property. Standard property policies commonly treat flood separately, so ask your agent directly. Remind owners to review their own policies.
- Records off-site. Keep digital copies of the declaration, insurance policies, vendor contracts, owner contact lists and financial records in a secure place that does not depend on the building.
- Vendor call list. Maintain current after-hours contacts for roofing, tree removal, restoration, plumbing, electrical, elevator, fire-system and landscaping vendors, and identify backups.
- Drainage. Inspect and clean association-maintained inlets, ponds, detention areas and drains before the season.
- Trees and fences. Trim or remove hazardous trees in common areas and inspect fences, gates and signage.
- Owner contact information. Update phone numbers and e-mail addresses so the board can reach owners, especially those who live elsewhere.
- Baseline photographs. Photograph common areas, roofs, equipment rooms and amenities so post-storm damage can be documented.
High-rise and condominium specifics
- Identify electrical and mechanical equipment in garages, basements or ground-level rooms, and discuss protection or relocation.
- Know what emergency power the building has, what it runs, how long fuel lasts and who tests it.
- Set an elevator procedure for before and after storms with your elevator vendor, and a plan for residents who rely on elevators.
- Plan for water: booster pumps need power, and a long outage can affect water pressure on upper floors.
More detail: Houston high-rise condo management and Houston condominium management.
Townhome and neighborhood specifics
- Confirm who is responsible for roofs, fences, trees and drainage; our townhome management page explains how to build a responsibility chart.
- Inspect private streets, gates and common-area lighting.
- Identify vulnerable shared fences and mailboxes.
During and after the storm
- Communicate early and often through the channels owners actually use.
- Do not send vendors or volunteers into unsafe conditions; follow official emergency guidance.
- Photograph and log damage, vendor calls and temporary repairs as they happen.
- Notify the insurance carrier promptly and keep records of all expenses.
- Prioritize life-safety and access items first, then secondary repairs.
- Hold a board meeting after the event to review decisions, costs and lessons learned, and consider whether the reserve plan or budget needs updating.
Where management helps
A manager can maintain the checklist, keep the vendor list current, send owner communications, coordinate inspections and compile the documentation the carrier will ask for. The board still makes the key decisions about spending and priorities. See Houston HOA management or our service areas.