http://galvestondailynews.com/blog.lasso?Permalink=5accaedb2aaceed1

A lot of people would see the storm as a chance to reduce the public housing on Galveston island. GHA sees it as an opportunity to more than double it (from 900 to 2100 units).

[This message has been edited by APE2AG (edited 3/13/2009 6:15a).]

My opinion has evolved after the storm.

I didn't realize that most of the residents of subsidized housing in Galveston were elderly people. I did realize that Galveston has one of the highest percentages of people living in subsidized housing in the country.

I learned that approx 60% of the kids in Galveston schools were living in subsidized housing.

To rebuild or even increase the amount of subsidized housing, IMO, is a bad idea. Everyone loses.

With such a high percent of economically disadvantaged people the city, and its economy, suffers. Also, the people who want to work their way out of "the projects" have a limited number of opportunities in a less than vibrant Galveston economy.

Sort of a vicious cycle.
I hope some of the people forced out of the destroyed housing find better opportunities in their current locations and decide to take advantage of them.

Rebuilding or increasing the number of units will result in different disadvantaged people filling them--continuing the cycle.

People are pretty worked up about this now.
http://www.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=b5a14fa6ab27ff55


Here is the petition they mention.
http://www.petitiononline.com/NoToGHA/petition.html