Hurricane Ike; Goverment Response
Mark Bregard
Response
My family and I lived in Galveston in 2008, but have since moved on. The storm was massive with winds spreading 275 miles from the center of the storm. The storm took everything away from my family, my house, my car, my job. The government response didn't help at all. They gave about $30 billion for reconstruction and, a good amount went to an organization known as FEMA. They have denied 650,000 applications for housing aid since Hurricane Ike. We received money from FEMA and since then we have been forced to return it. The inspectors came and deemed us ineligible when our property was completely destroyed. They have a reputation to be poorly trained and unqualified. Our house like others lays in ruins as we fled the area.
The waterfront of Gilchrist, Texas
Before and after; Port Bolivar
12 people are still missing from this Port Bolivar community. The entire first row of houses were washed away from the storm.