HOUSTON — Storm debris is still piled up in neighborhoods around Houston despite the Aug. 31 deadline the city set to complete the first debris cleanup pass. City council member Joaquin Martinez of District I shared his doubts in a recent meeting.
People who live in a southeast Houston neighborhood have taken charge of the cleanup.
The Idylwood neighborhood is typically a bit more idyllic than this. It sits near Telephone and Griggs in southeast Houston.
"When is this going away? When will my street look beautiful again," said homeowner Andrea Ancira.
Nearly two months after Hurricane Beryl toppled limbs and trees, piles of debris still line the streets. One tree stretched clear across one street.
"Everyone got together and they started trying to cut it down. They were actually working on it yesterday," Ancira said.
The tree blocked off traffic. So, they waited for a while hoping city crews would clear the way. When it didn’t happen, the community came together and got it done.
"The good thing that came out of it is all of our neighbors got together. They really helped each other out," Ancira said.
This street isn’t a one-off. They say throughout the neighborhood, you’ll find debris on the roads and in one place, debris is still blocking a road.
"We do have a hill that’s completely blocked so we can’t even go down that way," Ancira said.
In a city like Houston, it’s easy to feel a bit neglected. So, the residents wait for the next debris pass to begin Sept. 2. Whether the city cleans up or not, this community says it has the resiliency to clean up again themselves, if necessary.