Houstonians still waiting for storm debris to be collected

HOUSTON, Texas — On Friday, the City of Houston announced an interactive storm debris collection map intended to help residents see when they can expect their debris to be collected.

On Saturday morning, the card had a glitch – it was locked behind a login screen – and still is. Several people were frustrated and said they didn’t know when their debris would be picked up.

Piles of debris line the streets of the Timbergrove Manor neighborhood. One of the piles you can spot while driving through the neighborhood is outside Chuck Booth’s house.

“Most of the things the guys put forward and the city accepted,” Booth said. “But then, as you can see, not all the main elements have arrived.”

A large tree in Booth’s backyard was toppled by the derecho that hit the Houston area nearly three weeks ago. Last week he had the debris moved to the front door to be picked up, but it’s still there and now he’s worried.

“I’m going to have to figure out how to get rid of it on my own and I only have a Toyota,” Booth said. “It won’t fit in the trunk.”

Booth said he called the city Monday morning and was asked to log into the city’s storm debris tracking system, which didn’t work all weekend. He left a request for help over the phone.

“I haven’t received an email from the city, so I don’t know if the request I submitted this morning is working,” Booth said.

Booth’s neighbor is in the same situation.

“You can’t even walk on the sidewalks,” Conrad Fertitta said.

Fertitta’s patience is running out. The pile of debris on his sidewalk has been there since May 17.

“They only got a small part of it back here and they quit,” Fertitta said. “So I don’t know what the story is behind the city’s thinking.”

Fertitta said he called the city seven times.

“I don’t know where these big trucks are going when they come down this street and when they come back, they’re full,” Fertitta said. “But then I go around the neighborhood, I look at what’s been salvaged, it doesn’t look much different.”

Neighbors hope something will be done soon.

“I feel like it’s a lost cause,” Fertitta said.

KHOU contacted the city to speak on camera about the debris tracker, but their request was denied. The city said it is working to verify debris data and will have an update on the tracker later this week. Debris removal efforts are expected to last two to three months.