PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – A community forced to use porta potties for restrooms.
KPRC 2 reported on this story last year and were given promises of big changes on the way.
So, has anything changed? Well for some, but not others.
KPRC 2′s Deven Clarke went back to the Villa Capri community in Prairie View to hear from frustrated residents and a city official on what still needs to be done.
Alisia Nava is one of several we spoke to back then who says they now must shell out more and more money to live here. She says taxes have doubled and they get fines for things like making repairs to their homes. and still don’t have necessary utilities.
Maria Mendoza asked how she’s supposed to believe city officials when months have passed and it’s now 2024 but they’re still in the same position?
We asked city councilman David Allen why certain residents are still in the same boat as before?
“They didn’t get the permits to move those properties in or build a home or bring in a manufactured home,” Allen said.
But one woman who asked not to be identified says she did get all the necessary permits
“We don’t have water, sewer,” she said.
Her story is the same as some of her neighbors.
Allen says another issue is that while the remaining pipes were extended to the affected areas about two months ago, they’re now waiting on a bigger pump that can accommodate the other properties.
As far as the permits are concerned, he says he’s calling a town hall meeting within the next week or so, where residents can sort through permitting issues so that when the pump comes in, connectivity can be streamlined.
“Someone who, like he said, he (one resident who spoke with us) doesn’t have a permit, you can’t get connected if you’re not permitted to be here. That’s just a part of the city process. We can fix that,” Allen said.
Regardless of permits, there is still no exact date for when the area will have water and sewerage. Allen says part of the reason is because they’re still waiting on that pump that had been delayed because of supply chain issues affected during the pandemic. It’s something he says he is working on.