Spring families forced from home after floodwaters rush inside during heavy rain

SPRING, Texas – A Spring family is scrambling to find a new place to live after floodwaters surged into their rental home during heavy rain Monday morning, leaving behind extensive damage and forcing them to move out within days.

Lisa Schaufelberger said she was working from home when floodwaters began entering the house on North Woodstock Circle, just off Woodlands Parkway. She said the water rose quickly, giving her family little time to react.

“We got notifications on our phone. It was just pouring rain,” Schaufelberger said. “My daughter came and got me. She said, ‘Mom, we have a problem. There’s water coming through the front door.’”

Schaufelberger said water rushed beneath the front door, through the backyard and into the garage as rainfall intensified.

Her daughter, Tristen Schaufelberger, said she first noticed water entering her bedroom.

“I was in my room at the time and I saw the water rushing in my room and I freaked out,” she said. “When I did notice it, it was too late.”

The family estimated that more than a half-foot of water entered portions of the home before receding. A visible water line remained inside the garage hours later, marking the flood’s highest point.

The flooding damaged much of the family’s furniture and personal belongings. Schaufelberger said they expect to throw away beds, box springs, a couch and other household items. A large shelving unit also collapsed because of water damage.

The home is a rental property and Schaufelberger said she does not have renters insurance. She said the landlord was unsure whether the property was covered by flood insurance.

The damage has left the family facing an uncertain future at an already difficult time.

Schaufelberger said her mother died two weeks ago. Her daughter is eight months pregnant and due next month. Her fiancé is bedridden and unable to walk independently.

“It’s overwhelming,” Schaufelberger said. “We signed a two-year lease here and we thought this was home. And now we have to get up and move again.”

Tristen Schaufelberger said the family has been advised that mold could begin developing soon, making the home uninhabitable.

“We only have like a couple of days to really look for a place and move,” she said. “We got no notice or anything, and it’s just really difficult.”

The Schaufelbergers were not alone. Several neighboring homes along the street also reported flooding during the storm.

Residents said drainage ditches in the area overflowed as heavy rainfall moved through the neighborhood. Schaufelberger said she previously contacted local officials about deepening nearby ditches because of flooding concerns.

Monday’s flooding comes at the start of hurricane season, a time when residents across Southeast Texas are reminded of the region’s vulnerability to heavy rainfall and flash flooding.