Las Lomitas: Still Dry but Making Progress
The Las Lomitas neighborhood will be up against it for a while longer. Photo by Filipa Rodrigues/KUT NewsAudio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Two weeks ago, KUT News reported on a community in Travis County living without running water. Yesterday, the Travis County Court of Commissioners decided not to fund residents’ efforts to run water lines to their homes with a federal community development block grant, or CDBG.
But the neighborhood is on the alternative projects list. That wasn’t what they’d hoped for, but resident Norma Escalante still called it good news.
“It’s been a long time coming, and at least, you know, we’re there,” Escalante said.
And by “there,” Norma Escalante means on Travis County’s radar. It’s been 10 years since the subdivision was built, and they’ve lived that long without any running water.
“If there were resources that became available and if the community was at a place where we were ready to propose moving forward to the Commissioners Court, we would have some of the administrative barriers out of the way,” said Sherri Fleming, the county executive for Health and Human Services.
Fleming says county officials wanted to put the Las Lomitas water project on the alternative list. That way, they won’t have to reapply for the CDBG funds during next year’s grant cycle. But there are still hurdles.
The residents of Las Lomitas had submitted a primary survey to Travis County on June 1 as part of their grant application. County officials say residents must meet the low-to-moderate income guidelines to remain on the alternative list.
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