Astrodome at capacity, but buses with evacuees keep coming (Houston 22,000) (D.C. 400)

Houston Chronicle ^ | September 2, 2005 | SALATHEIA BRYANT, BILL MURPHY and LEIGH HOPPER

[WillVoteForFood]

I am surprised Reunion is going to be able to house 25K. In fact, I would suggest they won't be able to get that many in there as the facility is not nearly as big as the Astrodome.

[Tall_Texan]

Perry said earlier he had identified 7,000 low-income housing units across the state that can be used for evacuees. Of course, as a Texan, that makes me wonder why so much low-income housing is going unused.

[HostileTerritory]

Northern LA is full to the brim of refugees, but aren't getting as much notice because big cities have big arenas where they can put people.

[wideawake]

Ah a newbie troll trying to stir up arguments.

Glad to see that the Purpose(TM) which you are Driven(TM) by is to cause trouble.

Go home and write the Prayer of Jabez 100 times.

When you come back, behave.

[billbears]

Oh yes, like the mayor didn't have anything else to worry about. Let's allow Houston to have roving gangs of looters, made up of citizens and police, fill the city up with about 5-6 feet of water in less than a day, give them a substandard police force to handle the rest, and see how Houston deals with it.

The fact is the mayor may have not done all that person could have done. But I don't think there's any sane person that could have done much more in that same situation.

[Sleeping Freeper]

I saw some of the same footage of the Astrodome. You're right, the media would be all over this if things were deteriorating in the Astrodome.

[billbears]

Could you perhaps explain why exactly you pinged me?

[MineralMan]

"Perry said earlier he had identified 7,000 low-income housing units across the state that can be used for evacuees. Of course, as a Texan, that makes me wonder why so much low-income housing is going unused."

They can send a bunch of them up to Minnesota, there is lots of rental space available here, and rent prices are fairly reasonable for a major city.

Unemployment is very low here, too. There are plenty of jobs around here.

I expect these poor folks will be dispersing all over the country in the next few months. Texas won't have to house them all for very long at all.

[Dog Gone]

"We've got sick people in here and this is how you treat us!" said Angel Alegria. "Welcome to Houston! I hope a hurricane comes to Houston!"

Keep up that attitude, lady, and the number of volunteers who are working shifts around the clock is going to drop significantly.

It's no insignificant decision to open up the Convention Center, either. That means we're effectively cancelling all conventions to house people who refused to leave when they were told to do so.

The city of Houston isn't responsible for what happened to you. We're trying to help. If it's not good enough for you, tough. Nobody is keeping you here at gunpoint.

[Tall_Texan]

I have the same reaction although what matters, I suppose, is surface area and not seating capacity.

[Nathan Zachary]

Pics from inside the dome.

Imagine that. No kaos.

[Sloth]

The mayor could have done a lot more *beforehand*.

[numberonepal]

RE Atlanta:

Refugees, age 1 to 97, find shelter at Cobb park
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/cobb/0905/02shelter.html

Shelters help with jobs, sickness, school
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0905/02metkatshelters.html

No choice but to start anew
Atlanta 'just might become home' to some
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0905/02metkatrefugees.html

[HuronMan]

I doubt that the Lakewood Church would take any of these folks. It doesn't look like they have any money that Pastor Olsteen could bilk them out of. But he could tell them that this was their lucky day and that prosperity was just around the corner.

[GretchenM]

Thanks for posting this thorough report. It's good to know things are starting to work for the refugees.

It does make me wonder about the other states nearby that were not hit by the hurricane, if they could do what Texans are doing, if needed. Maybe it's not needed.

It will be interesting, when such things are acceptable to discuss, to see how the sports industry, and the industries that run because of the sports business, are affected by this: in other words, how much of an effect this will have on the Texas economy, and also, on the schools, etc. God bless the Texas economy.

[MediaMole]

I agree they need help now, but the best help is to get people cleaned up, fed and on to permanent housing.

I am very concerned about the status of the evacuation. People don't seem to understand just how many people need to find permanent housing.

The entire New Orleans metropolitan area needs new housing. Most will need housing for a year or more, with many choosing to live elsewhere permanently.

The emphasis must be on family care. Even many of the poor will have family in other cities who can put them up. Public shelters need to be reserved for the very most desperate.

[Tall_Texan]

Somebody needs to tell them they're supposed to look poor, diseased and miserable. < /sarc >

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I understand that these gracious Houstonians, providers of shelter, showers, hugs, food and medical care, have so many ill people, and people with long standing medical conditions to care for, they had to limit the number of people put into the Astrodome, and so have opened additional sites.

Tempers will be short but people need to count their blessings and give thanks

[Nathan Zachary]

"The fact is the mayor may have not done all that person could have done

Like, have a PLAN? Order everyone out? Use these buses?

The Mayor was a complete failure as a leader.

[spectre]

20,000 headed for Arkansas. Ft. Chaffee will house 4,000. The entire Church community and most every organization we have, are providing meals, food and clothing.

sw