Advocates of the homeless are warning Houston officials that when the evacuee's free rent expires, the number of homeless living on the Houston's streets will "skyrocket."
The Good, The Bad
Obviously not all evacuees who escaped the flooding waters of New Orleans by heading to Houston are criminals. Unfortunately, criminals who took refuge in the city with the 'Big Heart' have over shadowed those who are law-abiding and acted responsibly, taking it upon themselves to find employment, pay for their own housing and contribute to Houston."There was no way to screen people," White said, "and I share the outrage at violent criminal acts, but that should be directed at the perpetrators. Unfortunately, many of the victims of some of the most heinous crimes committed by evacuees have been evacuees themselves. We don't tolerate unlawful conduct, and we will deal severely with those who victimize others."
However, Houstonians seem to be growing weary of giving and with the possibility of some 200,000 people moving from the classification of evacuee to Houston resident and two-thirds of those people receiving some kind of government subsidy, citizens, and officials are saying more often than not, "Enough is enough."
"We extended an open hand to all kinds of people," says Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs to . "If they want to return home, it's their right." adding, if they wanted to stay they, "need to stand up, get on their feet and get jobs."
Where is the New Orleans Support?
Many feel recently reelected New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has done little to help Houston deal with the evacuee homeless situation. Nagin and other New Orleans officials have reportedly indicated that they only want hardworking evacuees to return to help rebuild New Orleans, leaving those who are disabled and unable to work out of the city's future picture.New Orleans City Councilman Oliver Thomas took it a step further by boldly stating that any public housing evacuees who want to return to New Orleans should be required to work and that he did not want people to "sit around watching soap operas."
This sent Houston officials' heads spinning, accusing New Orleans politicians of using Houston as a dumping ground for the Big Easy's less desirable citizens and criminals.
"When this Katrina situation developed, we welcomed people with arms wide open," said Houston Councilman M.J. Khan, whose district has absorbed most of the city's evacuees. "We never scrutinized who should be coming into the city, we never turned anyone back. In the same way New Orleans cannot now say that everyone who is disabled, or cannot work, should have to stay in Houston."
A Good Lesson for the Future?
One has to wonder if the situation Houston now faces will be a good example or bad example to cities in a position to reach out to neighboring cities who may suffer similar disasters. Many communities around the country offered help to Katrina's homeless, but none to the degree that Houston displayed.Baton Rouge, a city that enjoyed the close proximity to the charms of the old New Orleans, but also knew of its criminal reputation, took in 100,000 Katrina victims on top of its population of 225,000 residents.
Within a week of the storm, Baton Rouge police chief, Jeff LeDuff took an aggressive stand toward the city's position on crime. "I'm willing to be my brother's keeper. That's what I said at the time," says LeDuff, "And I also said, 'While my brother is in Baton Rouge, he must behave.' "
Mayor Melvin "Kip" Holden, took a similar stand, supporting LeDuff and announcing that criminal activity in Baton Rouge would not be tolerated, from anyone. According to CBS news, calls to the Baton Rouge police department rose from about 550 per day before Katrina to about 730 per day. As to any increase in crime, unlike Houston, the crime rate has remained flat says LeDuff.
As reality of the true destruction of Katrina became apparent, those who fled to Baton Rouge thinking it was a temporary shelter, have since made it their primary residence.
Many Baton Rougians had family and close friends in New Orleans and although the schools are more crowded and the roads cannot adequately handle the increase in traffic, the merge has been far less traumatic than that found in Houston.
But for both cities, the true test will come when those who are now surviving with government assistance are left to fend for themselves. What impact this potentially volatile situation will have on both cities will be the final chapter in the true wrath of Katrina.
