By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
State officials today notified the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that Texas is nearing capacity in providing shelter for the tens of thousands of evacuees fleeing the Gulf Coast from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
With an estimated 100,000 Louisiana residents housed in hotels and motels in Texas, and another 123,000 being temporarily housed in nearly 100 shelters throughout the state, Texas officials have asked FEMA to begin diverting any additional evacuees to other states that have offered assistance.
"Texas is committed to doing everything it can to help our neighbors from Louisiana, but we want to make certain that we can provide them with the medical care, food, shelter, safety, education and other services they need to start getting their lives back together," said Gov. Rick Perry. "Local officials are beginning to notify us that they are quickly approaching capacity in the number of evacuees they believe they can assist."
The major shelters in Texas that have been taking the majority of Louisiana evacuees are the Astrodome, Reliant Center and George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Reunion Arena in Dallas and Kelly USA in San Antonio. The number of shelters is probably higher than 100, according to officials in Perry's office, as many local churches and other organizations have set up shelters when needed.
Today, an additional 6,000 Louisiana hurricane victims were en route to Texas by bus, and 10,000 were en route by air.
Perry's office has, during the last 48 hours, been in contact with governors of other states, such as Utah, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa and West Virginia, looking for contingency locations that might provide shelter for the ever-increasing number of evacuees, most from New Orleans. FEMA approval is necessary for any state to directly take evacuees from Louisiana.
Because President George W. Bush approved an Emergency Declaration for Texas, the state is eligible for some of the $10.5 billion in federal aid being made available by the U.S. Congress. The state and all 254 counties are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement of any costs incurred as a result of providing aid to Louisiana evacuees. To date, estimates on the number of evacuees being houses in temporary shelters in Texas include:
- 25,000 evacuees will be sheltered in the Houston area including the Astrodome
- 25,000 evacuees will be sheltered in the San Antonio area including Kelly USA
- 15,000 evacuees will be sheltered in the Dallas Metroplex Area including Reunion Arena
- Corpus Christi - 3,000 evacuees
- Austin - 5,000 evacuees
- Lubbock - 1,000 evacuees
- Amarillo - 500 evacuees
- Bell County - 400 evacuees
- El Paso - 350 evacuees
Texas also is providing additional safety measures where the evacuees are being housed, including assurance from Texas Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw that additional Texas Department of Public Safety troopers will assist local law enforcement officials when necessary. Perry has also called up and deployed 2,200 National Guard troops and 200 Texas State Guard troops to support operations both in Louisiana and Texas. The governor has also requested that the 4th Army at Fort Sam Houston provide assistance for shelter operations in San Antonio.
The state has authorized additional efforts to assist in the rescue and relocation efforts. Some 1,700 Texas first responders are in Louisiana to assist efforts there. Evacuees who stay in Texas hotels and motels will be exempt for 60 days from paying the state's hotel/motel tax. The Internal Revenue Service also has granted a waiver request of Perry that will allow some 18,000 vacant income-eligible housing units in the state to be used by those displaced by the hurricane. Vacant apartments that might be available are being identified by the Texas Apartment Association.
Perry's office notes between 6,000 and 8,000 evacuated schoolchildren who are either already in Houston or being moved to Houston are likely to enroll in Houston public schools. HISD officials are working with the state to ensure there is room for those students, ensuring their transportation needs are met and looking for additional teachers who might be needed in the classrooms.
State agencies are also stepping up their efforts to meet the needs of the evacuees. The Texas Workforce Commission will assist with Unemployment Insurance Claims and with helping those who want to work to find jobs. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is assisting students with enrollment in Texas colleges and universities and offering in-state tuition rates for college students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Health and Human Services Commission is helping identify food stamp eligible individuals and those who need prescription drug support.
Finally, Perry has activated the OneStar Foundation to serve as a state clearinghouse for anyone in the country wishing to donate cash and non-cash items, food or to volunteer. Some 400 hundred phone lines have been established to handle calls. Interested parties may call toll free at 1-800-707-6768 or visit the web site at www.OneStarFoundation.org.