What's Going To Happen?

[ToolMan]

Are we going to see a lot more homeless downtwon? I think we will see double or triple amount of homeless wondering around. Think about it - the Astrodome is just of the rail, and they have nowhere else to go. A lot of these people were living on the streets in New Orleans to begin with.

[sevfiv]

i think within a few weeks it is going to be hell. unfortunately, alot of these people will be stuck here. no jobs, no home, and no way of getting back home, if there was even anything left...

houston cannot handle 20,000 extra homeless, jobless, angry people.

[arche_757]

Well hopefully thats were FEMA comes in to the rescue.

Some of these people may actually end up better off if FEMA helps them. Otherwise the government will have failed Houston who reached out and embraced our neighbors in need only to be rewarded with more homeless and jobless.

Good idea - FEMA should give these people the oppurtunity to help rebuild/clean-up their town, get the people who are willing and ablebodied to go back to New Orleans and help with the restoration of the city. Just throwing it out there.

[RedScare]

Buenos dias, Nuevo Orleanians!

San Antonio has agreed to take 25,000 New Orleans refugees, according to Gov. Perry.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/3334824

No decisions on how or where, but SA is stepping up to the plate.

Wonder why we haven't heard from Dallas. Are they too upscale for refugees? Or is it because all of their stadiums have holes in them?

[citykid09]

I saw some homeless Louisiana residence near the big airport. They had signs saying their from New Orleans and need help.

On another note, I also saw the samll replica (that some of you where talking about) of the Sam Houston statue in Huntsville at a new steak house resturant on beltway 8 (on the way to the airport).

[pineda]

"The Astrodome is prepared to accommodate refugees for a month and perhaps up to 90 days. Eckels said officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will try to move evacuees into temporary facilities closer to New Orleans in weeks, if not days. In many instances, the Dome will serve as a short-term shelter until more suitable quarters can be found, he said."

"Texas Governor Rick Perry said at a press conference that the schedule of the Astrodome stadium in Houston, which can house at least 25,000, has been cleared until December to accommodate storm victims."

Both of these snippets came from the Chronicle. Go figure...

[kjb434]

As sign of things to come:

I just got off the phone with my mom. She's hasn't got power yet, but they'll get it later in Thibodaux. She's been listening to radio. I'm about to make comment that I'm going to get some serious flames from, but think I have to make it since we're getting so many refugees going into the Astrodome. A local official (black) made a statement about the refugees (97% black) housed in the arena in Baton Rouge, Houma and my home town: The people are like animals. The have no respect for other people and their property and expect a handout everywhere they turn.

No white man could have made this statement eventhough it would have truths to it. I don't like the fact that this is a reality. The Houma civic center is complaining that the refugees are damaging all the facilities. The show no concern for their fellow man. I've seen this from interviews from people interviewed in New Orleans too. People are saying when I'm going to get money, food, house, etc. The government is going to help. but it's not instantly. I'm repulsed by what I'm hearing from people running the refugee centers about the refugees themselves. I hate say it's a stereotype i'm forcing on people, but its hard when they are living up to the stereotype.

I've been through Hurricane Andrew in Thibodaux where it was 5 days without power and running water. Streets flooding and trees down everywhere. Instead of complaining about everything, we had to get up and just work to make things better. I would like the refugees (which not a good use of the word) and all citizens to go back and be put to work to clean this place up. When the water starts going down, the city should rebuild itself. Wouldn't that mean the citizens do some of the work too? Everyone wether rich or poor lost everything. This isn't a poor vs rich thing. This a community comming together to clean this place up.

[RedScare]

Dallas has 600 refugees in Reunion Arena. Probably expecting many more.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...n.15c7e5f0.html

[kjb434]

I thought I hear they offered the reunion arena. I guess everyone building a new arena and stadium wasn't a bad idea. It leaves the old ones for other uses. Good thing we didn't demolish the Astrodome.

[DJ V Lawrence]

As sign of things to come:

I just got off the phone with my mom.  She's hasn't got power yet, but they'll get it later in Thibodaux.  She's been listening to radio.  I'm about to make  comment that I'm going to get some serious flames from, but think I have to make it since we're getting so many refugees going into the Astrodome.  A local official (black) made a statement about the refugees (97% black) housed in the arena in Baton Rouge, Houma and my home town:  The people are like animals.  The have no respect for other people and their property and expect a handout everywhere they turn.

No white man could have made this statement eventhough it would have truths to it.  I don't like the fact that this is a reality.  The Houma civic center is complaining that the refugees are damaging all the facilities.  The  show no concern for their fellow man.  I've seen this from interviews from people interviewed in New Orleans too.  People are saying when I'm going to get money, food, house, etc.  The government is going to help.  but it's not instantly.  I'm repulsed by what I'm hearing from people running the refugee centers about the refugees themselves.  I hate say it's a stereotype i'm forcing on people, but its hard when they are living up to the stereotype.

I've been through Hurricane Andrew in Thibodaux where it was 5 days without power and running water.  Streets flooding and trees down everywhere.  Instead of complaining about everything, we had to get up and just work to make things better.  I would like the refugees (which not a good use of the word) and all citizens to go back and be put to work to clean this place up.  When the water starts going down, the city should rebuild itself.  Wouldn't that mean the citizens do some of the work too?  Everyone wether rich or poor lost everything.  This isn't a poor vs rich thing.  This a community comming together to clean this place up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With all due respect, how can they go back and start cleaning up New Orleans if 80% of the city is underwater, and the water is guaranteed not to receed?

They are refugees. New Orleans unfortunately is not a functionable city for months. This isn't Hurricane Andrew. This is much worse. This is a city under the Mississippi River, with no chance of rebuilding at least 50% of the city without tearing the buildings down.

You lived though a world with no power or running water for 5 days. Now imagine the entire city of Houston being like that for at LEAST two months. That's about where New Orleans is. Imagine how jacked up the homes will look when all the families return once the water finally gets out their homes a month later, and they get to return a month after THAT.

[editor]

It would be nice if we could have one hurricane discussion that didn't become a discussion of race or the media.

[RedScare]

Some have wondered why Texas is sheltering so many refugees. It is because the ones in Louisiana are full.

Here's a list of some of them.

http://www.brgov.com/emergency/#Evacuation%20Shelters

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3786009

http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=3775458

Starting to see the magnitude of this situation?

[Willy1]

It's going to take 2 or 3 months before they can get the power back on in NOLA, then it's going to take another 3-6 months to pump all the water out. THEN, they're going to start letting people back into NOLA. Not only is the city destroyed, but it is closed off from incoming people. They're not letting anyone back in now and won't until it's safe. They're trying to get 100% of the people out right now.

As for why you haven't heard about Dallas taking in refugee's.... who knows. Maybe it's because Dallas doesn't have the facilities to take in 25K people under one roof. Dallas has 600 at Reunion with the number growing by the minute. The only big stadiums we have in DFW are open air - Texas Stadium and the Cottom Bowl. It's too hot for people to live in outside. However, one thing that they are doing here is opening up vacant apartments to refugees rent free for a couple months. Employers are also going over to Reunion and giving out job applications to the refugees to help them make ends meet until things get better. Some are being hired on the spot and they're paying them at the end of every day so they don't have to wait for their money. There is a huge out-pouring of concern and relief in Dallas and Fort Worth area.

Of course, even the good deeds done in Dallas at a time like this are drawing snide comments from people on this forum. I'm sure glad that the Houstonites in here aren't as trite and shallow as the Dallasites they're so quick to condemn. I would hate to think that people in Houston would ever accuse Dallasites of being self-centered or shallow, and then turn around and slam Dallas for not having place to house 25K people, especially when the people of Dallas are doing whatever they can to help. And, I know no one on this forum would actually be happy about the population of Houston suddenly increasing by 25,000 over night because that would make them guilty of being self-absorbed and self-centered for being happy about profiting from the losses of others. And everyone in THIS FORUM knows that those sort of characteristics and behaviors are only found in the people of North Dallas.

[RedScare]

Get over yourself, Willy. I put a wink next to the comment, and then posted the story about the City of Dallas' efforts to help. NPR reported that Dallas is going to take in 25,000 refugees, just as Houston and San Antonio has. I am sure, also, that if anyone counted, Dallas is giving as much to the charities as any other city.

Now, if you don't mind, we like to extend our sympathies to those more deserving...the starving and homeless residents of New Orleans.

[houstonsemipro]

But, it more people in Houston area then those cities. Mayor Bill White said in the news that it's 100,000 people here from Louisiana and Mississippi. They also predict alot of them will say in Houston to find jobs, and rebuild their life's here in Houston.

USA TODAY, and other big newscast don't mention San Antonio, or Dallas. They mention Houston the most, cause Houston is doing so much more by taken in the refugees.

San Antonio and Dallas just now decided to help out Houston by taken in more refugees.

[RedScare]

I finally heard Sean Hannity say something I agree with. He said the generosity of the people of Houston was phenominal.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I finally heard Sean Hannity say something I agree with.  He said the generosity of the people of Houston was phenominal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with RedScare. Thanks to Sean Hannity and the other journalists out there that have recognized Houston's kindness so far.

It will be tough days for New Orleans AND Houston. We can use all the morale we can get.

[arche_757]

I think its great that Dallas and San Antonio are offering space to evacuees as well as Houston. It is good for Texas to help its neighbor in time of need. And I assume Beaumont and a few other towns are helping.