HHSC Quick Resource Guide (Office of Border Affairs)

Here's a link to download the "Texas Health and Human Service Commission Quick Resource Guide - Services offered to the public by health and human service agencies in Texas" in English and in Spanish. Guía general de los programas para uso de promotores y organizaciones en el área de salud comunitaria.

The Atlantic: Destitution North of the Border

In the "colonias" communities of South Texas, thousands live without running water, sanitation, or electricity.

Alex Hannaford, a journalist based in Texas, wrote this article for The Atlantic. He introduces his readers to the history of colonias, some of those that are fighting for the rights of the residents, and shines a light on the daily lives of some of those living in colonias near Corpus Christi.

Texas Excludes Low-Income Latinos from Census

"Newly released census figures show that the Latino population in the United States surged by 43 percent in the last 10 years, comprising 50 million people. According to New America Media’s Nina Martin, this marks the first decade since the 1960s when the number of Latino births exceeded the number of immigrants. But, the increase notwithstanding, it seems that a sizable portion of the Latino population may not have been counted at all ...Though community organizers spent months preparing families to participate in the census, the federal government failed to mail census forms to 95 percent of colonia residents—allegedly deeming them 'hard to count'."

What does failing to count as many as 300,000 Texas residents living along the U.S.-Mexico border mean? Less money for the state going toward social services funding over the next decade, new congressional districts that will not include the increased Latino population, and redistricting plans that will reduce the political power of under-counted Latino voters.

Read more about this issue on the Campus Progress and New American Media sites. Campus Progress is a national organization that works with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges. New America Media is the country's first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations.

Bus Service for Nueces County Colonias?

The Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority is circulating a survey among residents in the Agua Dulce, Banquete and Driscoll areas to determine if it should extend bus services to the colonias as it begins it's planning initiatives for 2012. If monies are secured, life would be much easier for the more than 6,000 people who live in 38 documented colonias in Nueces County.

Corpus Christi and Rains from Hurricane Karl

The effect of the conditions surrounding the current rains on the colonias in Nueces, with their lack of drainage and sewage infrastructure, can only be imagined via these reports on Corpus Christi neighborhoods and sewage system.

• No getting into, out of Nueces County colonias
• Corpus Christi officials: More than 100,000 gallons of wastewater mixed into flood water
• Flooding swamps city

Profile of Lionel in The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Morning News has published a profile article about Lionel Lopez called, "Rebel defends the forgotten people of Texas' colonias", by Stephanie Elizondo Griest of "Around the Blog". It's a great write-up that recounts the history and motivations of Lionel and Juanita's involvement with the colonias around Corpus Christi. (Note: a second version of the profile on The Dallas Morning News includes a video of Lionel making the rounds.)

Robstown Health Fair

The Dia de la Mujer Latina health fair in Robstown on August 7 allowed concerned agencies such as STCI and the South Coastal Area Health Education Center, to raise health awareness in, provide initial health screening, lead patients to follow-up services and gather data to better assess the community's needs.

Colonias that aren't near the border...

Many federal and state programs that were created to address the issues of colonias have requirements that they be anywhere from "within 50 miles from the border" to "in a county whose furthest corner is less than 150 miles from the border". With these requirements, thousands of people in colonias throughtout the state are being forgotten by the agencies created to assist them. Hopefully, these mileage laws may be changing with recent cases brought by the state against developers. However, as this story noted (and this comment in South Texas Chisme: Colonia projects too slow ), projects that are underway in some colonias are for some reason hampered by very long delays.

What would Daniel Boone do?

Interesting post on "Texas housers - working together to make low-income housing and community development a priority in Texas". A writeup about the dilemmas of imposing state regulations to improve housing in Texas colonias and a nice history lesson on the relationship between the colonia homebuilders, the developers, assorted Texas commissions, and the Texas Legislature.

Farmworker Groups Ask EPA Administrator to Uphold Environmental Justice for Farmworker Communities

Farmworker unions, support groups, and worker advocacy organizations today asked Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to stop the pesticide poisoning of farmworker communities and uphold the Obama administration’s commitment to environmental justice.

The letter, signed by 28 groups from across the country, says that the new fumigants policy “continues an outdated EPA approach to pesticide regulation that adopts unrealistic and unenforceable standards as risk mitigation measures, in an age of safer, greener approaches to agricultural pest management.”

The EPA announced its decision May 27, 2009 to allow continued use of toxic soil fumigants with modified safety measures, falling far short of safety advocate efforts to adopt more stringent use restrictions and chemical bans. The rule was first proposed in July 2008, but weakened as it was finalized by EPA under industry pressure. Advocates believe that the country can do better to phase out the uses of highly hazardous chemicals that have devastating impact on exposed workers and communities in which they are used, and advance green technologies and organic practices.

Story from Common Dreams and Beyond Pesticides. A copy of the letter is available here.

Colonias residents won't do without this Christmas

Five colonias in Nueces County received septic tanks through TCEQ's Supplemental Environmenal Projects.

"I am in the colonias everyday and I've seen a marked improvement in the areas that received septic tanks," Lionel Lopez said. "Not only has the appearance of the people and their living areas changed, but their demeanor as well."

Rose Acres Colonia

Legal battle causes delay for colonia. Rose Acres colonia residents have waited years for basic upgrades. http://www.caller.com/news/2008/nov/30/legal-battle-causes-delay-for-colonia/

Concerns For Colonia Safety Around Prison

With the correctional facility in Robstown set to open in October, advocates are worried that the warning system for a prison escape is not adequate to notify the residents. Lionel Lopez set up a town hall meeting with L.C.S. officials about adding a loud siren to alert those living in the area. Officials were originally going to warn the 6000 residents by calling those within a 2-mile radius and canvasing the area. With the concerns for those without phone service, the prison officials were willing to add the siren. KRISTV has a couple segments on the meeting including an interview of Lionel.

Know Solar Power: Solar Water Purification Project

A great article about a project the El Paso Solar Energy Association is working on with the border colonias to generate clean drinking water.

http://solarpower-gorahara.blogspot.com/2008/08/solar-water-purification-project.html

Millions to improve Texas colonias go unspent

An Associated Press story on the $78 million is being picked up by online news outlets across the country, from USA Today; to local outlets in Dallas, Las Cruces, and Midland; to Arianna Huffington's website. There's nothing like a little national attention to start fires burning.

Petronila Creek Cleanup

After residents had been asking for years, Petronila Creek is being cleaned up. The May 10 post talked about the concerns residents had about the area. It has been reported that the prison contractor, LCS Corrections Services, will "clean the major blockages" to prevent any additional flooding that may be caused by water run-off from the 1,100-bed prison. As reported on Channel 3 KIII TV, while happy about the efforts currently underway, the residents are still concerned about whether the cleanup will be enough. Here's an additional report by KRISTV Channel 6.

$78 Million of Colonias Wastewater Grant Unspent

A federal has audit sharply criticized the Environmental Protection Agency’s handling of a $300 million grant towards the Colonias Wastewater Treatment Assistance Program, designed to provide sewer service for thousands of people living in border colonias. It was recently discovered that since the last of the grant money was awarded in 1999, nearly $78 million has remained unspent due to "numerous difficulties". The Star-Telegraph article can be read here. With a 2010 deadline for the grant, each delay reduces the purchasing power of the grant's money and delays needed public health improvements.

A copy of the EPA Inspector General's audit can be read here.

What is a "colonia"?

According to the Texas government's Office of Colonia Initiatives, a colonia is "defined as an unincorporated community located within 150 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, or a city or town within said 150 mile region with a population of less than 10,000 according to the latest U.S. Census, that has a majority population composed of individuals and families of low and very low income, who lack safe, sanitary and sound housing, together with basic services such as potable water, adequate sewage systems, drainage, streets and utilities." You can read a few more definitions here and the federal definition here.

...and just found the "definition" page on the the Texas Secretary of State's website. It lists all the definitions of "colonia" based on the state agency.

What can be done?

A reminder of something that can be done to help the residents of the colonias...

On February 17, 2008, a group of people provided free medical checkups and educational materials to over 60 residents of Robstown and the surrounding colonias. Local doctors and medical students from the UTHSCSA Frontera de Salud provided free check-upsl; Christus Spohn was present to allow access to a health care community if needed; AmeriGroup and sCHIP set up for insurance information; Humana came to offer free glucometers and additional information; flu and pneumococcal vaccines were offered to those who needed them; and rapid HIV screening per the new CDC protocol to screen everyone over 13 years old as well as additional testing for high risk individuals.

Colonia Residents Want Feds to Improve Drainage System

KIII-TV Channel 3 aired a report from the Tierra Grande colonia on May 3, 2008. The residents are frustrated over the flooding problem. They said county and state leaders have failed at fixing the drainage issue, so now they're trying to reach out to the federal government. A staff member of Senator Cornyn's office came to visit and talk with residents with Lionel Lopez.