Lessons From Hurricane Harvey: Houston’s Struggle Is America’s Talebr “The whole trans-Mississippi pioneer enterprise was in fact brought to you by the federalbr government,” says Steven Conn, a historian and author of “Americans Against the City.”br The hypocrisy of Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, resisting federal aid to the New York region after Hurricane Sandybr but then requesting it for Texas after Harvey, is in fact part of this same history.br Properties with flood damage inbr Hurricane Harveybr Buildings Damaged By Hurricane Harveybr Climate change holds a mirror up to every place its impact is felt.br “If they can meet about toilets, why can’t they meet when the toilets overflow?” one frustrated city officialbr said, before Mr. Abbott came up with $50 million from a separate fund to stem growing criticism.br He would live elsewhere, he said, but like many others without flood insurance or savings, “we got nowhere else to go.”br As for Andy and Christine Kahan, they were among thousands who had no inkling they were especially vulnerable before Harvey.br Many of the residents living in and around the reservoirs didn’t even know they sleptbr in harm’s way — until the water came pouring in from the prairie during Harvey.