Unless federal policy changes soon, Houston will find itself in an embarrassing position three months from today — breaking a key promise made to hurricane evacuees in their most desperate hour.
Despite written statements to the contrary, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will cease honoring the 24,000 year-long leases, backed by the city, signed between hurricane evacuees and local apartment landlords.
As a result the city could fail to deliver on a promise made to nearly 100,000 storm-ravaged evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita — a safe roof over their heads for a year.
Landlords, who are accepting tenants without a security deposit or credit checks, would be left with scores of families unable to pay their rent.
“Everybody is concerned about what could happen,” said Larry Hill, president of the Houston Apartment Association.
“The city, the mayor, the judge, everyone stepped up to the line after these storms hit. We opened our doors. I have no idea what these people would have done if the city of Houston hadn’t stepped up.”
FEMA needs to get its head out of its you-know-what. The citizens of New Orleans were failed by decades of corrupt government on many levels. The city of Houston, Harris County and the state of Texas stepped up to help these people when their own city and state couldn’t/wouldn’t. Mayor White has put forth a plan that gives these people somewhere to live, while providing them the resources to find employment and rebuild their lives. It’s a constructive plan that is more than New Orleans or Louisiana could have ever done. (New Orleans’ mayor is focused on free wi-fi, for God’s sake!)
FEMA needs to pay the darn bill and shut the hell up.
