About a month ago, some folks in Galveston began to worry aloud about the 2010 census. Their concern: Galveston’s population dropped about 20 percent after Hurricane Ike hit on Sept. 13, 2008.
Depending on who was talking, the city’s population had dropped from about 57,000 to somewhere between 42,000 and 45,000.
Of particular concern was that the numbers within that range are all below 50,000, a benchmark for federal housing and transportation funds. That’s about $4 million a year.
Galveston’s leaders conceded that the city would not have 50,000 people when the census is taken in April. However, they wanted to get as close to that number as possible, hoping that federal agencies would give the city another 10 years to recover its population — and its eligibility for federal funds.
As Galveston’s leaders broke the huddle, they pledged to work with social groups, churches and civic clubs to encourage residents who are traditionally shy of census takers to stand up and be counted. Galveston does have significant minority populations that traditionally have been undercounted. The city’s effort should be applauded.
But one possibility that didn’t get much attention is that the city is continuing to lose population. There are some indications — including an increasing number of Section 8 vouchers in Texas City and La Marque — that this trend is accelerating.
The federal Disaster Housing Assistance Program offered help to more than 1,300 families after the storm hit. Families were eligible for help beyond six months if their costs for housing exceeded 30 percent of their income.
It was a godsend to many families, especially as rents were on the rise because so many of Galveston’s houses and apartments had been damaged.
In May, tenants began paying part of the rent. The amount the tenants are responsible for has gradually been increasing. More and more, we’re hearing about people who simply can no longer afford to rent property on the island.
City leaders are right — absolutely right — to be concerned about the census. But it’s not at all clear that the island’s population has hit bottom yet.
