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Houston Spending Millions to Move People Out of Cancer Clusters While Still Approving Development

Summary

Despite ongoing testing to link toxins to cancer in Houston's Fifth Ward, the city has approved permits for developers, including a city employee, to build new rental units in the area. The City Council allocated $5 million to relocate people from cancer clusters identified by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. The cancers are associated with chemicals found at a closed wood treatment facility. An EPA-Union Pacific Railroad investigation is underway, but developers, unaware tenants, and residents claim they were not informed of the hazardous conditions. The city, working on relocation efforts, faces challenges in disclosing information to renters and landlords, while some developers remain unaware of the cancer clusters.

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