Moving day for flood survivors from city-funded motels
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Hundreds of Houston-area residents are still trying to get settled after the Tax Day 2016 floods left them without a place to live. In the Greenspoint District, residents are really ready to get back to normal.
“Very much so,” says Anecia George.
“We lost everything,” adds Dana Watson.
Several Greenspoint apartment complexes were hit hard by the flooding that began the night of April 17. Flood victims have been staying in nearby motels paid for by the Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund.
“We had a little over 2,000 apartment units here in Greenspoint that took on water," explains Bill Kelly, City of Houston director of government relations. "214 of those units took on six feet, so these are the folks we've been housing.”
Today is moving day, the day the city stops picking up the temporary tab at 160 motel rooms and FEMA rental assistance will begin paying for permanent housing.
“As of three days ago, 83 of our households had already received their money for rental assistance,” adds Kelly.
However, some flood victims were still frantically trying to find a place even after they checked out of their motel room. For instance, Dana Watson, who supports two children, still didn’t have any idea where she and her children would go.
"No, ma'am," says Watson. "I don't know where we’re going to go. I'm not afraid. I just don't know what to do right now.”
Anecia George was feeling the same, but now she's, “very thankful, very relieved.” George smiles after making a number of calls and finally finding an available apartment. “And that was just by the grace of God because I called her (the manager at her former complex) today and somebody canceled,” smiles George.
METRO buses and taxi cabs were brought in to provide residents with free transportation.
As Watson watched others load up and leave, the city learned she didn't have a place. FOX 26 News is happy to say that the Mayor's Office found an apartment for her and furniture for the family will be delivered this weekend.