FEMA Ends Harvey Relief Voucher Program For Renters, But Not For Homeowners

This week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

By Rhonda FanningApril 27, 2018 1:37 pm, , ,

Time for the week that was in Texas politics with Cassandra Pollock, the engagement reporter for the Texas Tribune.

This week, FEMA announced that it was dropping more than 1,300 Harvey victims from a hotel room voucher program.

“The big thing is that FEMA ended the program for people who are renting, while they are extending the program through May for people who are homeowners,” Pollock says.

That’s because FEMA says Harris County now has adequate housing available for renters.

“Some are just saying that this is basically another example of how renters have been left behind during disaster recovery,” Pollock says.

At the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the ongoing contracting woes continued this week.

Also in the news, a former HHSC employee received a box of private data in the mail.

“She had been fired at the agency I believe in March after working there for nine years,” Pollock says. “She was sent this box, along with all of her personal memorabilia.”

The office confirmed the box was sent to her, and that the former employee had returned the files.

Listen to the full interview in the audio player above.