Houston City Council members look for ways to protect vulnerable populations after saying Beryl’s deadly aftermath was preventable

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — At least 13 people died in Harris County Wednesday due to Hurricane Beryl.

At the Houston City Council, members of the floor questioned whether at least some of these deaths could have been prevented.

“This could have been avoided at this point because the loss of life continues to mount and that’s the way it shouldn’t have happened,” said Abbie Kamin, a member of Houston’s District C City Council. “This looks more like a man-made disaster than a natural disaster.”

Houston City Councilmember Edward Pollard apologized to citizens for the city’s response to the storm.

“We need to be transparent with the public and let them know that we haven’t done everything we could have done from a city perspective,” Pollard said.

Pollard and several colleagues called for changes moving forward. One of the changes suggested by council members was the adoption of an ordinance requiring generators for independent living facilities housing vulnerable populations.

After the May derecho, ABC13 reported on conditions at several of these facilities, like Independence Hall. Thomas Wilkin, a double-amputee resident, told ABC13 he was stuck on the second floor of his building for days because he couldn’t charge his electric wheelchair.

RELATED: Woman Says Sister ‘Shouldn’t Have Died This Way’ After Beryl Left Them Without Power For Days

“I wondered how we were going to survive,” he said.

The owner of Independence Hall told ABC13 the building is not required to have generators.

“You can’t just take money from the people who live there and not provide them with all the services they need,” said District D Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz.

Evans-Shabazz is among the council members who told ABC13 their office is moving forward on the issue. Other members include Vice Mayor Pro Tempore Amy Peck and District I Councilmember Joaquin Martinez.

Most said they were waiting to see if the state would pass a law before acting. State requirements call for generators to be installed in some nursing homes and independent living communities.

However, none of those requirements include the use of generators to power air conditioning systems. If the state fails to act, the aforementioned council members have pledged to put an ordinance on the agenda, likely taking advantage of tax credits.

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