It looks like our friends from Louisiana and other areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina may be staying here in Texas for a while. Fortuantely, there are long-term solutions to the housing problem, since the Astrodome and other shelter facilities are not designed to be permanent housing.

An estimated 18,000 vacant apartment units statewide opened for hurricane victims Friday when the federal government waived special income requirements, Gov. Rick Perry announced Friday.

Families eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency financial aid can receive vouchers to move into the apartments.

The governor sought the Internal Revenue Service waiver as the state mobilized aid for those fleeing Hurricane Katrina.

"We will do all we can as a state and a people to help our neighbors to the east who have lost so much," Perry said.

The effort to move as many hurricane evacuees out of shelters and into more permanent housing coincided with more than 15,000 beds opening up in shelters stretching from Austin to Corpus Christi to El Paso, the governor's office said.

"We're just trying to cut through the red tape for them and get them permanent housing. Obviously the Astrodome is not a permanent home," said Perry spokesman Robert Black.

About 7,000 units are in the eastern, more populated parts of Texas.

I suspect that the Red Cross and FEMA would be the folks to contact about getting into these units around the state.

Posted by: Greg at 02:38 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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