Katrina evacuees' welcome wears thin in Houston (200,00)

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/08/31/thursday/index.html

POSTED: 5:43 p.m. EDT, August 31, 2006

Katrina evacuees' welcome wears thin in Houston

(CNN) -- A year after Houston took in more than 200,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, complaints of crimes linked to the evacuees has some of the city's residents ready to roll up the welcome mat for those who remain.

Mayor Bill White got an earful from residents of the city's west side Wednesday night. Residents such as Patricia Matthews complained about menacing behavior, littering, public drinking and traffic blockages she blamed on storm evacuees housed in apartments in her neighborhood.

"We just want you to understand our situation in this community, and we appreciate the hard work that you've done. But we want the New Orleans residents to go home," Matthews said to applause from about 1,600 people at a Presbyterian church.

The meeting took place three weeks after three evacuees from New Orleans -- two of them teenagers -- were arrested in connection with a killing at a neighborhood car wash. And Sunday, the victim of an apparent carjacking was found dead less than two miles away in a yet-unsolved case. (Posted 5:42 p.m.)

coinciding with the arrival of evacuees, you'd just be fine and dandy. It must be those racist Texans! Texas bashing for all!

Where there's smoke there's fire. Let's not pretend that New Orleans was some sort of Dineyesque utopia. It had some of the worst neighborhoods, worst police, and worst crime statistics in the US. It's a realistic assumption that the bad people from NO will continue to bad things in their new homes, and the residents won't be happy about it.

not to defend the woman asking them to be sent home, that's just silly, but I understand the frustration.

a day after they got there

There's no electricity or city water in the Lower 9th.

There's no help or services, either. There's no HOUSES.

They aren't leaving. A lot of those folks have moved permanently, and have given up hope of 'going home.'

Then they *should* go home or go to jail. Coming from a very bad neighborhood, I have no tolerance for people who are unwilling to make the community a nice place to live. I am black and don't think it's a matter of being racist, but being honest about who is causing the trouble. In my old neighborhood there are no white people shooting the black brothers. I'm sure to be flamed, but oh well...

They've had to segregate the Katrian refugees from Houston residents at predominately black schools in Houston.

The gang and drug turf wars were bad for New Orleans and now it has moved to Houston....those who participate in that activity can make the others suffer the consequences.

and we are happy to have them here in Houston. But I was mugged at the door step of my house Thanksgiving evening and Hubby was mugged at gunpoint by the same folks a month later . No racism here-I could tell by their speech that they were from NOLA.We also had our first murder at the complex. You guessed it-refugee on refugee crime. We have been gradually weeding out the non-desirables.

FOLKS, NOLA, had an extremely high crime rate and high water washes all sort of thing out. We got everything. Now I don't say all we got were the bad elements because our crime would have rose proportionantly...and it didn't. I love our new neighbors and I give them the benefit of the doubt. They bring a rich culture to our town.

But Federal aid to help the refugee has been slow, less than promised, you name it. Our ER's have been taxed as have been other services. Now add crime to that and it is easy to understand why folks have had enough.

At best estimate, we have absorbed close to 1/4 mill refugees. I challenge anyone to deal with that many new folks at one time in your town and see if it runs any smoother. These folks SHOULD go home. Many WANT to go home. But until we get a more competent government, we are the only place that seems to be willing to take them in for any long period of time.

simply weren't welcome.

The apt. management finally got rid of them. They did not have the right to live wherever they want.

Most were fine. Some were nasty people, and it's good that they're gone.