Giving Thanks for Our Industry’s Response to Hurricane Harvey

With an estimated 185,000 homes destroyed or damaged in the Houston area due to Hurricane Harvey, the corporate lodging industry has been working diligently to provide housing for as many displaced people as possible.

No single arm of the corporate housing industry could have responded to the overwhelming need alone, and what has been amazing to see is the cooperation and dedication from furniture providers, utility companies, apartment community managers, and service companies.

This has not been a singular effort but has taken a coordinated industry effort to achieve.

  • Furniture vendors worked on shipping their supplies in from other states, necessitating finding more trucks and fuel at a time when both were in short supply.
  • Many apartment community employees worked long hours to take care of their current residents and expedite the setup process for empty apartments.
  • Utility employees were out, even when the hurricane was still storming over Houston, restoring power, cable, and gas.
  • Service companies were available during and after the storm to take requests for housing, with many employees answering calls and emails from their homes that were surrounded by flood waters.

So many in the industry were personally affected yet still focused on being of service to others and helping to house displaced families and clients. We are so thankful to be part of an industry that truly cares about its customers and was able to show it through their dedication and innovative solutions.

Lastly, those who were displaced by Hurricane Harvey or needed accommodations to help in the recovery were also pivotal players in the success of housing so many people. Clients and guests were patient and understanding that cable and internet may not be ready quite yet, and the attitude of “making it work” and being of service remained at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

The corporate housing industry has shown itself to be a great asset in times of crisis, and although we hope to be spared future disasters, we know that we all have each other should the industry be called on again to help.

Sources:

  1. http://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-harvey-wreaks-historic-devastation-numbers/story?id=49529063