All three NeighborWorks Network organizations in Houston continue to assist families in their neighborhoods with emergency assistance and supplies. During the past 10 days, collectively they have assisted over 1,300 families. Though electrical service is being restored, large sections of neighborhoods remain without power and in need of assistance.
As families begin the clean-up of debris from their properties, equipment and financial resources are needed. Debris small enough for residents to remove form endless stacks along street curbs, waiting for city crews to remove them.
The large debris/fallen trees blocking sidewalks, driveways, on top of homes, cars and yards are creating greater problems for residents. This scene is repeated on every street within the NeighborWork’s organization neighborhoods as well as all other impacted city areas.
Our organizations are following up with families to assess clean-up and physical property damage needs. With limited financial resources, efforts are being directed toward immediate emergency repairs and debris clean up.
For larger or major assistance, organization facilities and staff are being used to assist families in completing FEMA applications as well as accessing relief services from other local civic and faith-based organizations.
To give one a quick reference of the extent of need, at a Houston downtown meeting with federal, state and city agencies on September 23, a FEMA representative stated that 245,168 applications (barely the tip of the iceberg) for disaster assistance from Harris County had been received.
Of these, more than 225,000 were for housing related assistance, of which only 9,000 had been already processed for financial assistance.
It seems like it’s going to be a long, painful recovery process.
Driving in Houston during peak hour traffic has always been a challenge for me. Now, without traffic lights working at major intersections, it’s more challenging than ever.
Rocky Mountain District staff member Ernesto De La Garza submitted this report. He has been in constant communication with our three Houston NeighborWorks organizations since before the storm: Avenue Community Development Corporation, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, and the Tejano Center for Community Concerns.
NeighborWorks America has awarded $45,000 in grants to help community residents who are having great difficulty getting to FEMA and Red Cross distribution centers. View press release.
