Lacking community resilience centers, Houston neighbors opt for solar-powered 'hub homes'
HOUSTON (AP) — Doris Brown was nearly asleep when a neighbor knocked on her door, telling her to look outside. “There were no lights, nowhere,” said Brown, recalling the power outage that summer night in 2023. “I didn’t even know it.”
Brown’s solar panel and battery system was keeping her power on. She’d prepared for a night like this. “Call everybody,” she told the neighbor.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kAm$@@? 2C@F?5 `d “?6:893@CD 2?5 ?6:893@CDV ?6:893@CD” H6C6 :?D:56 qC@H?VD E9C66\365C@@>[ ` `^a\32E9 9@>6 :? }@CE962DE w@FDE@?] %96J 492C865 A9@?6D[ 4@@<65[ 2?5 D9@H6C65 367@C6 H@C< 2?5 D49@@=] $@>6 D=6AE @G6C]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 H6C6 A6@A=6 D=66A:?8 6G6CJH96C6[” D2:5 qC@H?[ fd] $96 H2D 92AAJ E@ 36 “2 A@CE :? 2 DE@C>[” 56DA:E6 @?6 5@H?D:56i “%96J 2E6 2== >J D?24<D]”k^Am
kAmqC@H?VD 9@FD6 :D 2 “9F3 9@>6[” @?6 @7 D6G6? :? 2 }@CE962DE w@FDE@? A:=@E AC@8C2> >62?E E@ 4C62E6 6>6C86?4J D276 92G6?D — ?@E 2E D96=E6CD @C 4@>>F?:EJ 46?E6CD[ 3FE :?D:56 ?6:893@CDV 9@FD6D]k^Am
kAm%96 :562 H2D 2 8C2DDC@@ED C6DA@?D6 E@ 564256D @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^7=@@5D\DE@C>D\C246\2?5\6E9?:4:EJ\C24:2=\:?;FDE:46\9FCC:42?6D\__dc74ce_dd`e6eg_c65g674fbbg3bh`Qm4@>>F?:EJ 5:D:?G6DE>6?E 2?5 ?68=64Ek^2m E92E 8@E ?6:893@CD E2=<:?8 23@FE H92E E96J 4@F=5 5@ E@ 36 C625J 7@C 6IEC6>6 H62E96C 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A@H6C\@FE286D\>65:42==J\GF=?6C23=6\E6I2D\6=64EC:4:EJ\8C:5\e_`dc535gb25`ea7b33df5fdf3he6cecQmA@H6C @FE286Dk^2m]k^Am
kAm“xE’D FD 96=A:?8 FD[” D2:5 qC@H?]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@;64E H2D D6E E@ C6249 b_ >@C6 9@>6D[ F?E:= E96 t?G:C@?>6?E2= !C@E64E:@? p86?4J :? pF8FDE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^ECF>A\D@=2C\4=62?\6?6C8J\6A2\K6=5:?`h4gbg66a5h36b6g_2253d576_daegh`Qm42?46=65 E96 Sf 3:==:@? $@=2C 7@C p== AC@8C2>k^2m H9:49 H@F=5 92G6 7F?565 :ED 6IA2?D:@?] w2CC:D r@F?EJ[ H9:49 :?4=F56D w@FDE@?[ :D ?@H 2 A=2:?E:77 :? @?6 @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^4=:>2E6\D@=2C\7@C\2==\ECF>A\3:56?\=2HDF:E\cd_`3223b2ge2cd53hc`6g_25ge`47a5Qm>F=E:A=6 =2HDF:EDk^2m @G6C E96 42?46==2E:@?]k^Am
kAm!6@A=6 :?G@=G65 H:E9 E96 AC@8C2> 24<?@H=6586 9F3 9@>6D 2C6 F?4@?G6?E:@?2= — C6BF:C:?8 ECFDE 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 4@@A6C2E:@? 2?5 :>A24E:?8 76H6C A6@A=6 E92? 2 =2C86C C6D:=:6?46 46?E6C]k^Am
kAmqFE E96J 2=D@ D2J E96JVC6 67764E:G6 :? 4C62E:?8 A@4<6ED @7 AC6A2C65?6DD :? 4@>>F?:E:6D 4@?7C@?E:?8 >@C6 6IEC6>6 H62E96C 3FE =24<:?8 C6D@FC46D E@ 5@ >@C6]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 2 H2J E@ :?4C62D6 C6D:=:6?46 :? E9@D6 ?6:893@C9@@5D E92E 2C6 @7E6? 7@C8@EE6?[” D2:5 $2> $:=6C:@[ %6I2D AC@8C2> 5:C64E@C 2E $@=2C &?:E65 }6:893@CD[ @?6 @7 E96 ?@?AC@7:ED :?G@=G65 H:E9 E96 A:=@E AC@8C2> H9:49 :D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^4=:>2E6\6A2\K6=5:?\D@=2C\7F?5:?8\ECF>A\3:56?\ghc5b_fe342egdf5gd524`bbe232dd_cQm2=D@ DF:?8 @G6C E96 4FEDk^2m]k^Am
k9amp F?:BF6 2AAC@249k^9am
kAm%96 9F3 9@>6D :562 DE2CE65 27E6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9@FDE@?\7@@E32==\DE@C>D\4@C@?2G:CFD\A2?56>:4\9FCC:42?6D\d75ch`65d375h22_26_gcae4e_fgdbh6Qm(:?E6C $E@C> &C: :? a_a`k^2m[ H96? 7C66K:?8 E6>A6C2EFC6D 4C:AA=65 %6I2DV A@H6C 8C:5 7@C 7:G6 52JD 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]5D9D]E6I2D]8@G^D:E6D^5672F=E^7:=6D^?6HD^FA52E6D^$|~r0u63(:?E6C$E@C>0|@CE2=:EJ$FCG#6A@CE0`a\b_\a`]A57Qm=65 E@ ace DE@C>\C6=2E65 562E9Dk^2m[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 %6I2D s6A2CE>6?E @7 w62=E9 $6CG:46D]k^Am
kAm!@H6C =@DD 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ >2?J @7 E96 562E9D[ 2D A6@A=6 H:E9 962=E9 4@?5:E:@?D 4@F=5?VE C67C:86C2E6 >65:4:?6D @C CF? =:76\DFDE2:?:?8 >65:42= 56G:46D] }:?6E66? A6@A=6 5:65 7C@> 42C3@? >@?@I:56 A@:D@?:?8 7C@> :>AC@A6C=J FD:?8 86?6C2E@CD 2?5 8C:==D E@ DE2J H2C>]k^Am
kAm“(6 H6C6 =:<6[ ‘$9@@E[ A@H6C 8C:5 72:=FC6 :D 2 D6C:@FD E9:?8 E92E H6 2C6 ?@E AC6A2C65 7@C’[” D2:5 q64<J $6==6[ 4@\5:C64E@C @7 5:D2DE6C AC6A2C65?6DD[ @C82?:K:?8[ 2?5 @A6C2E:@?D 2E (6DE $EC66E #64@G6CJ[ 2 }@CE962DE w@FDE@? ?@?AC@7:E 7@F?565 27E6C wFCC:42?6 w2CG6J :? a_`f]k^Am
kAm($# 3@F89E D@>6 86?6C2E@CD 7@C C6D:56?ED H:==:?8 E@ D92C6 E96 C6D@FC46] qC@H?[ H9@ 2=>@DE 7C@K6 E@ 562E9 96CD6=7 :? &C:[ DE6AA65 FA]k^Am
kAm($# 25565 >@C6 DFAA=:6D E@ E96 9F3D[ =:<6 =:76 ;24<6ED 2?5 <2J2<D 7@C 7=@@5 6G24F2E:@?D[ 2?5 96=5 AC6A2C65?6DD EC2:?:?8D 7@C >6>36CD]k^Am
kAm(96? E96 s]r]\32D65 ?@?AC@7:E $@=2C &?:E65 }6:893@CD 2AAC@24965 E96> H:E9 2 AC:G2E6 8C2?E 7C@> E96 w:G6 uF?5 E@ 255 7C66 D@=2C A2?6=D 2?5 32EE6C:6D E@ D6G6C2= 9@FD6D[ ($# <?6H 6I24E=J H96C6 E@ :?DE2== E96>]k^Am
kAm%96 A:=@E 925 :ED 492==6?86D — D@>6 C@@7D 925 E@ 36 C6A2:C65 367@C6 E96J 4@F=5 9@=5 D@=2C A2?6=D[ 2?5 9F3 42AE2:?D 925 E@ =62C? 9@H E@ >2?286 E96:C 32EE6C:6D E@ ?@E 56A=6E6 E96>]k^Am
kAm$F446DD 2=D@ C6BF:C65 ?6:893@C=J 4@??64E:@? E92E >@56C? 4@>>F?:E:6D @7E6? =24<]k^Am
kAm“*@F 92G6 E@ 3F:=5 E92E ECFDE[” D2:5 s2G:5 tDA:?@K2[ 2 9F3 9@>6 42AE2:? 2?5 (6DE $EC66E #64@G6CJ’D 4@\5:C64E@C @7 4@>>F?:EJ @C82?:K:?8 2?5 =2?8F286 2446DD] %96 bc\J62C\@=5 H6?E 5@@C\E@\5@@C @? 9:D 3=@4<[ :?EC@5F4:?8 9:>D6=7 E@ D@>6E:>6D H2CJ ?6:893@CD] “x 8@E E@ <?@H >J ?6:893@C9@@5 2 =@E 36EE6C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmp3@FE 2 5@K6? A6@A=6 2C6 D:8?65 FA @? tDA:?@K2VD “C@DE6C[” 3FE 96 D2:5 E96 9F3 :D E96C6 7@C 2?J@?6 :? ?665[ AC:@C:E:K:?8 @=56C ?6:893@CD 2?5 E9@D6 H:E9 49:=5C6? @C >65:42= 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 @E96C FAD:56D[ E@@i %96 D@=2C 2?5 32EE6CJ DJDE6> C65F46D 8C66?9@FD6 82D 6>:DD:@?D[ 2?5 4FE tDA:?@K2VD FE:=:EJ 3:== :? 92=7]k^Am
kAmtDA:?@K2[ H9@ :D 3:=:?8F2=[ D2:5 E92E 7@C ?6:893@C9@@5D =:<6 9:D H:E9 >:I65\DE2EFD[ $A2?:D9\DA62<:?8[ 2?5 >65:42==J GF=?6C23=6 9@FD69@=5D[ 9F3 9@>6D 2C6 FD67F= 6G6? H:E9 @E96C D96=E6CD ?62C3J]k^Am
kAm“%96J 42? 2446DD >6 2 =:EE=6 62D:6C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
k9am‘$@4:2= 42A:E2=’k^9am
kAmt77@CED E@ 3@=DE6C =@42= C6D:=:6?46 92G6 8C@H? :? C646?E J62CD 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9FCC:42?6D\H:=57:C6D\7=@@5D\52>286\64@?@>:4\=@DD\2b2e2d64“5ad657c6gcdggh624h45gbQm6IEC6>6 H62E96Ck^2m[ A@H6C @FE286D[ 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^6=64EC:4:EJ\AC:46D\52E2\46?E6CD\2CE:7:4:2=\:?E6==:86?46\737a`b2h`d73dfc2c7b6d3222f_c`4b2Qm6=64EC:4:EJ AC:46Dk^2m @G6C3FC56? 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am
kAmpG6C286 2??F2= A@H6C :?E6CCFAE:@? 9@FCD 24C@DD E96 &]$] 92G6 ;F>A65 :? E96 =2DE 564256[ =2C86=J 5F6 E@ 6IEC6>6 H62E96C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ $2C29 z@EH:D[ D6?:@C 2DD@4:2E6 2E E96 4=62? 6?6C8J ?@?AC@7:E #|x]k^Am
kAm“r@>>F?:E:6D 5@ ?665 E@ 36 E9:?<:?8 >@C6 DEC2E68:42==J 23@FE C6D:=:6?46[” D2:5 z@EH:D]k^Am
kAm%92E AC6A2C65?6DD 368:?D H:E9 4@??64E:@?D 36EH66? ?6:893@CD[ D2:5 #6?26 w2?G:?[ rt~ 2?5 7@F?56C @7 #6D:=:6?E #625J 2?5 2? 6IA6CE @? “D@4:2= 42A:E2=[” @C E96 “4@??64E:@?D[ ECFDE 2?5 4@@A6C2E:@? 36EH66? A6@A=6]”k^Am
kAm“xE’D E96 >:DD:?8 =:?< :? E96 5:D2DE6C C6D:=:6?46 64@DJDE6>[” D2:5 w2?G:?] “pE E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J[ E96 7:CDE E9:?8 J@F ?665 W:? 2? 6>6C86?4JX E@ 96=A J@F :D 2 A6CD@?]”k^Am
kAmpD 5:D2DE6CD H@CD6?[ 7:CDE C6DA@?56CD D:>A=J 42?’E 96=A 6G6CJ@?6 2E @?46[ D96 D2:5[ D@ ?6:893@CD >FDE E9:?< @7 E96>D6=G6D 2D “K6C@ C6DA@?56CD]Qk^Am
kAm|2?J 4@>>F?:E:6D 92G6 2=D@ EFC?65 E@ “C6D:=:6?46 46?E6CD[” @C =@42==J ECFDE65 :?DE:EFE:@?D =:<6 4@>>F?:EJ 46?E6CD @C 49FC496D E92E 2C6 @FE7:EE65 H:E9 324<FA A@H6C[ 6>6C86?4J DFAA=:6D[ 2?5 6G6? J62C\C@F?5 D@4:2= D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAmx562==J[ C6D:=:6?46 :?G6DE>6?ED 2C6?VE 2? 6:E96C\@C 564:D:@?[ D2:5 s@C: (@=76[ $&} D6?:@C %6I2D AC@8C2> 2DD@4:2E6] “wF3 9@>6D 2C6 @?6 A:646 @7 E96 H63[ 2?5 E96C6 D9@F=5 36 2 C6D:=:6?46 46?E6C 2E E96 46?E6C @7 6249 @7 E96D6 ?@56D[” D96 D2:5] “(6 ?665 2== @7 :E]”k^Am
k9am‘p 9F86 =6E5@H?’k^9am
kAm$@=2C &?:E65 }6:893@CD 2?5 (6DE $EC66E #64@G6CJ A=2??65 E@ 6IA2?5 E96 AC@8C2> E9:D 72== 2D A2CE @7 2 Sdc >:==:@? 8C2?E 2H2C565 E@ w2CC:D r@F?EJ 3J E96 t!p]k^Am
kAm%96J :?E6?565 E@ 8C@H E96 ?F>36C @7 9F3 9@>6D E@ b_[ 2?5 255 >@C6 32EE6C:6D E@ 6I:DE:?8 @?6D E@ 36EE6C CF? 962E:?8 2?5 2:C 4@?5:E:@?:?8 5FC:?8 @FE286D] %96 >@?6J H@F=5 92G6 2=D@ 7F?565 2 =@42= C6D:=:6?46 46?E6C]k^Am
kAmx? pF8FDE[ t!p p5>:?:DEC2E@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^=66\K6=5:?Qm{66 +6=5:?k^2m 42?46=65 E96 t!pVD $@=2C 7@C p== AC@8C2>[ :?E6?565 E@ DFAA@CE C6D:56?E:2= D@=2C 7@C >@C6 E92? h__[___ =@H6C\:?4@>6 9@FD69@=5D] +6=5:? D2:5 2FE9@C:EJ 7@C E96 “3@@?5@88=6” AC@8C2> H2D 6=:>:?2E65 F?56C %CF>AVD E2I\2?5\DA6?5:?8 3:==]k^Am
kAm“xEVD 2 9F86 =6E5@H?[” D2:5 $:=6C:@] q@E9 $@=2C &?:E65 }6:893@CD 2?5 w2CC:D r@F?EJ DF65 E96 t!p :? D6A2C2E6 =2HDF:ED E9:D >@?E9 @G6C E96 4FED[ 2D 5:5 @G6C 2 5@K6? DE2E6 2EE@C?6JD 86?6C2=]k^Am
kAm%96 E6C>:?2E:@? “AF==D E96 CF8 @FE 7C@> E96 G6CJ A6@A=6 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E D9@F=5 36 AC@E64E:?8[Q w2CC:D r@F?EJ x?E6C:> r@F?EJ p5>:?:DEC2E@C y6DD6 s:4<6C>2? D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E E@ %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD]k^Am
kAm(6DE $EC66E #64@G6CJ :D?VE 8:G:?8 FA @? >@C6 9F3 9@>6D] %96 ?@?AC@7:E :?E6?5D E@ 7F?5C2:D6 E9C@F89 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 D66< @E96C 8C2?ED]k^Am
kAm“%96D6 AC@8C2>D 92G6 366? 2 3:8 96=A E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ[” D2:5 tDA:?@K2] “xEVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 =@E 92C56C H:E9@FE E96 7F?5D 7C@> E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E]”k^Am
kAm————k^Am
kAmpDD@4:2E65 !C6DD 4@G6C286 @7 A9:=2?E9C@AJ 2?5 ?@?AC@7:ED C646:G6D DFAA@CE E9C@F89 E96 p!’D 4@==23@C2E:@? H:E9 %96 r@?G6CD2E:@? &$[ H:E9 7F?5:?8 7C@> {:==J t?5@H>6?E x?4] %96 p! :D D@=6=J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E9:D 4@?E6?E] u@C 2== @7 p!’D A9:=2?E9C@AJ 4@G6C286[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^A9:=2?E9C@AJQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^A9:=2?E9C@AJk^2m]k^Am