The mayor of Houston has said that, if they will agree not to sue the Houston Housing Authority for any harm caused by asbestos contamination, the seniors evacuated from the Bellerive public housing apartments should be permitted to reclaim their personal belongings from their fire-damaged units. Residents of the 61 contaminated apartments had been told that they would have to pay about $3,400 each to have their belongings decontaminated before they would be able to retrieve them, but several tenants have testified before city council that they cannot afford this fee. See related story. The highest level of asbestos contamination was found in the two apartments directly below the unit where the fire started. The mayor said that the city attorney will work with attorneys for the housing authority to draft an appropriate waiver for residents to sign before retrieving their belongings.
For the full story, go to the Houston Chronicle.
