It is idiotic to have people in sports arenas for a few weeks after

[dorktv]

a natural disaster? Some guy on my friend's blog said that they should be in hotels already and I responded that would make it a lot harder to get relief supplies, food and other help to the people who have suffered through this. At least for a few weeks.

Am I right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. no they should be in tent cities, with

small protable kitchens, starting to take care of themselves

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. I disagree

they should be housed in some of the mega-chain hotels so they can live in some sort of comfort and not have to deal with bad weather. The Hiltons and Marriotts have 1000's of rooms at properties all over the country. I'm sure they could spare a room or two at each property and never notice the difference.

[William769]

5. A room or two?

I think it's more like 100,000 plus rooms.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. These chains have 1000's of properties

If they gave up 1 or 2 rooms at EACH PROPERTY, then they could easily absorb thousands of families.

[dorktv]

8. Over half a million people have been displaced by this.

Even if we could get them rooms, most people want to be with their families.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. That's right

so that means that at least half of them if not more will not even need these rooms.

[dorktv]

11. You mean you would cram up to 22 people in one hotel room?

[William769]

4. I lived in a tent City after Andew

Trust me thats not the answer.

[CitySky]

3. I'm not sure how realistic hotels would be

I'm in Houston & had the impression hotels were already pretty full.

And yes, they are coordinating services out of "Reliant City" and the Convention Center. People staying in hotels w/no cars would need to take buses to services, which some people might be able to handle more easily than others in an unfamiliar city while dealing with the devastation they've been through.

So yeah, as far from perfect as our evacuee centers are (no privacy, sleeping inches from strangers), i think given the huge numbers of people this is the best immediate alternative. The Houston housing market, where even our "market"-rate apartments are affordable to working people, can absorb a LOT of people. A week ago we had a glut of vacant apartments; they are filling fast. Things will sort out, but it will take longer for some families than for others.

[dorktv]

6. See I thought so too...and then after a few weeks we could

house them all in Scottsdale at the Princess Resort and the other ones up there. :P

[txindy]

10. I think putting folks into the Astrodome could be cruel

If those are the same people who lived through the h*ll of the Superdome, that is. From one domed sports stadium to another has to be disorienting and psychologically damaging. I don't see how it couldn't be. The physical resemblances are strong. The first had turned into a living h*ll. The fear has to be lurking below the surface that the authorities would let the same thing be repeated at the Astrodome. Those people learned during Katrina's immed. aftermath that promises and assurances mean nothing many times.

However, it would probably be a good temporary home for anyone who wasn't traumatized by being held within an enclosed h*ll for a week. Folks who hadn't made it to the Superdome or Conv. Center, perhaps.

[dorktv]

12. That is why they should have sent them all to Arizona!

BOB (Bank One Ballpark) looks nothing like the Superdome. :D And has a pool!