Floods consume low income housing; 32 'mostly seniors' seek refuge
BURNET, Texas (KXAN) - Senior citizens clung to trees and waded through hip deep water in order to survive the July 5 floods in Burnet County.
Around 32 people live at Hamilton Creek Manor, a collection of small homes off of Hamilton Creek. "I've been here 45 years and this is the worst thing that's ever happened," said Executive Director Billie Shelburn.
On Saturday, July 5, the nearby creek rose rapidly at around 4:00 a.m. Ricky Reed, who lives closest to the creek, awoke to his neighbors shouts. By the time he got dressed and made it to the front door, the water was up to his waist.
"By the time I got to that back door, it was already rushing that way," Reed said while pointing to the homes further downstream.
Reed awoke his closest neighbors before heading to high ground. First responders arrived shortly after.
"I have one apartment where the water pushed the front end out," Shelburn said. The resident wasn't home at the time. She had been rushed to the hospital the day before with an unrelated issue.
"When I got up I heard people outside saying 'whatever you do, don't open your doors,'" said Samuel DuPreast, a resident on the back end of the complex.
DuPreast said the water receded around six in the morning. When he stepped outside, water had rushed into nearby homes. He said that some people escaped through their windows to reach first responders.
Another clung to a tree. "They were holding onto the tree and were like 'we need help,'" DuPreast said.
No lives were lost, but all 32 people have to seek new homes. They've been given until Wednesday to collect any belongings they want to keep.
The community management is assisting with finding temporary housing while repairs are underway. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development runs the community. Residents told KXAN they've been told it will be three to six months before they can return home.
"I was never going to leave here again. I have the perfect apartment," Reed said.