Amid Finger-Pointing, Hurricane Relief Lags
Nearly four years after Hurricanes Ike and Dolly wreaked havoc on the Texas coast, thousands of Texans are still waiting for housing assistance. The long-term disaster recovery effort financed by the federal government has made little headway. But where two state agencies faltered, another is stepping in.
According to a state report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at the end of June, none of the 4,100 homes expected to be rebuilt or reconstructed with federal money were completed. And by October, the state had only spent 10 percent of the federal money for long-term ...
Comments (8)
Jalapeno Schwartz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas! Last in everthing!
Mimi Purnell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry cronies run everything they touch into the ground...you go Rick! No, I mean REALLY GO, NOW, while Texas has a little dignity left!
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Last year: TX "handler of these funds" - there was just so much money, that I didn't know where to start. I assume he still has his job, because IOKIYAR!
Rudy Gonzales
This is a good example of what the Texas Legislature has not done, which was/is their charge as our representatives in Austin. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association(TWIA) failed the people of Texas' coastal insurance requirements. This falls back onto those directly and indirectly connected to TWIA in Austin. Here's my posting back in January this year:
This is a money grab for the elite few of Texas. This is what you get in a one party state! The limitation what lawyers can collect when suing over mishandled and inadequate claim settlements is not tort reform, it's pulling teeth out of any real reason legislation. The only losers will be the policy holders. Capital requirements should be one hundred percent (100%) and totally secured with the paychecks of each and every Senator and representative in Austin! There will be no reason to get insurers to fix or replace homes, roofs and other structures if a Texas state sanctioned Insurance inspector decides to fudge the cost of repairs back to pre-destruction condition. An example is when I had to fight and send letters and four estimates to get a new roof on my house. A roof cannot be repaired after a hurricane like "Ike"! Any attempt to repair a roof will void the pre-existing warranty on the current roof. Insurers have the option of not insuring if the home does meet code. The only way to fix many roofs is to re-roof the entire house. It cannot be piece mealed to pre-storm condition. The fact is there were and still are corrupt state inspectors around who will low-ball an estimate to keep funds from being spent. Every cent sent in to this pseudo-state insurance association must be kept in a federally over-sighted corporation and out of the hands of any Texas Legislator! This brings to mind "Corruption", "Under-the-table" and "kickback" as was alleged post IKE! Every legislator in Austin is subject to corrupt charges resulting for failure to install safe guards protecting the public's funds. Additionally inhibitory restrictions on legal ramifications should not be considered since that would limit the correction of gross errors on behalf of TWIA, administrators or Repair contractors. Larry Taylor of Friendswood, Texas had the audacity to say no heads should roll over TWIA and the corruption and collusion in TWIA. He was wrong! He happens to be one of the representatives from Galveston County. If he was derelict in containing the misdeeds of TWIA and or the administrators or the Inspectors, or in-placing controls to keep from paying out bribes, then he also is culpable. This pseudo-state insurance association was created for the protection of the citizens of the Texas coast, and not for the lining of Texas legislators in Austin. The Legislature has been derelict in passing the budget, school funding and jobs while passing Sonogram legislation intruding into Texans bedrooms.
hans5162@ix.netcom.com hans
"You're doing a great job, Brownie." When you gut government agencies and fill it with your crony political appointees, you get ineffective and incompetent government. When you outsource government to your political cronies, as was done in this case, you get expensive and ineffectual government. Meanwhile, the people who were intended to be assisted wait years with no assistance. When Republicans talk about bad government, they lead by example.
Jeannette Hernandez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Like always Texas behind in everything
Louanne Wade Rogers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
yea were still waiting for weatherization from the Last one!!!
Janna McBride
When will people learn...there is no such thing as Federal Money. Any money the government has comes from one of 2 places...they either print it out of thin air or they steal it from the taxpayers. Why do you think Social Security and so many other programs funded by the taxpayer are being threatened with closure? They toss it out like beads at Mardi Gras, though it doesn't belong to them. When the common man does this it's called embezzlement or fraud.
Hurricanes and tornadoes happen and are out of our control, BUT, if you live in and area prone to these things...BE PREPARED for them or move. Don't live there and expect government bail outs when disaster strikes. One of my neighbors, who's strapped for cash like most of us are these days, lost their home to a tornado in 2010. They didn't cry for aid, they cleaned up and started again. Sure it's hard, but it's what you must do.
If there is no other option and you truly need help, appeal to the people directly, unlike the government, the people of this country are very generous. Even the poorest will send what they can in an emergency. Always remember...put people before government in ALL things.