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Sep 15, 2008 7:11 am US/Central
Disabled, Elderly Say They Were Left During Ike
HOUSTON (AP) ―
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Sunday an investigation was planned into why staff at a public housing complex apparently left residents without care in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
Perry said many of the residents of the federally subsidized Independence Hall complex in Houston have medical problems and needed help.
The managers boarded up windows in a meeting room on Thursday and brought water and food and snacks and told the residents who did not want to leave that it might be the safest place.
"I can't really force them to (leave), I can just keep an eye on them," property manager Margie Tanin told The Associated Press.
After receiving complaints from residents, a Federal Emergency Management Agency task force showed up at 2 a.m. Sunday, checked on residents but found no one who wanted to leave. FEMA returned during the daylight hours and took those who wanted to go to the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Steve McCraw, Perry's homeland security chief, said the state got a priority call for assistance from the city of Houston and Harris County.
On Sunday afternoon, residents barbecued meat outside while a FEMA task force gathered up others to take to the convention center for shelter.
Of a total 260 residents, about 50 went to the center. Some others went to stay with family members.
"I love it here," said Pamela Palmiter, 63, who has lived at Independence Hall for three years.
"I can't really see how we were abandoned," said Rudy Cano, 58, who rides a motorized wheelchair.
Darrell Azar, a spokesman for Texas Department of Family Protective Services, said Sunday that "we did get a call and we will respond, but we are not first responders."
Azar said the agency is not legally required to respond for 24 hours, and most of its offices in the Houston area are closed. Upon arrival, Azar said the agency would immediately determine what the residents need.
He said it didn't appear that property managers are responsible for the residents' care under state law.
"It's just like your apartment manager, they are not caregivers in any way and could not be held accountable for providing some assistance to people who they are providing an apartment to," he said. "But if it is Section 8 housing, their may be some stipulations I may not know about. They're not caregivers under Texas law."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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