Nick Natario Confronts HCFCD Director Over Extravagant Conference Travel Request

On July 10, 2025, ABC13 reporter Nick Natario confronted Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen about a controversial travel request for a three-day Urban Land Institute (ULI) conference in San Francisco. The request, uncovered in a July 9 article by Bob Rehak on ReduceFlooding.com, included an exorbitant $3,500 for a hotel stay, equating to approximately $1,167 per night.

Bob Rehak’s investigation revealed that the hotel costs were significantly inflated compared to available rates. While Petersen’s request estimated $3,500 for the stay, ULI’s blocked room rates ranged from $249 to $525 per night, and Booking.com listed rooms at the upscale Mark Hopkins hotel for as low as $215 per night. Additionally, the request included $1,500 for airfare—despite round-trip tickets being available for $185 to $310—and $400 for taxis, far exceeding typical costs for short trips in San Francisco.

When pressed by Natario, Petersen deflected, stating, “We do estimates in our travel and we try to be conservative in our numbers,” and declined further comment until returning to her office. The request, reportedly for HCFCD’s chief of staff, sparked outrage, especially as it came just weeks after Petersen projected a $1.3 billion shortfall in the 2018 Flood Bond, leading to the defunding of 80% of planned flood mitigation projects.

Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey questioned the $8,120 total cost for the trip, highlighting concerns about fiscal responsibility at HCFCD. The controversy, has fueled public scrutiny of the district’s spending priorities amid ongoing flood recovery efforts in Texas.