HOUSTON – For the last three months, the people who live near a leaning power pole have been calling and calling and calling for help.
This week KPRC 2 helped them get the help they needed.
That’s what we thought after we KPRC 2′s Julio Chavez reached out to CenterPoint this morning and got this reply:
Good morning, Julio.
Thank you for following up. Yes, our Operations team confirmed the pole straightening work at 2026 Live Oak St. was completed earlier this week.
Regards,
CenterPoint Energy Media Relations
Fast-forward a few hours and we get this message from Deniece Christ-Rice, who told KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding on Tuesday that they haven’t been able to get any help from CenterPoint Energy:
Good afternoon & happy Friday.
Just a follow up that centerpoint has NOT come out to fix the pole. Here’s pics from this afternoon.
Thanks for following up Julio…still hopeful for a resolution.
Appreciate what you all do to help support the Houston community.
Kindly, Deniece
Now we’re working again to find out what the heck is up. We’ve reached out to CenterPoint and have a crew headed back out to Deniece’s neighborhood, so we’ll keep you posted.
When KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding talked with Deniece on Tuesday, she told him for the last three months, neighbors have been calling CenterPoint for help.
“When they were finished, they just left this huge pile of dirt and that was it,” she said of the power pole outside her Third Ward townhome community.
The utility pole was installed just a few weeks before Hurricane Beryl.
“Right after the hurricane, we all noticed that it was leaning towards this house,” she said. “It doesn’t look and it doesn’t feel safe,” said Christ-Rice.
By our measurements, the pole was leaning roughly 9° toward the townhomes. The lean is evident to the naked eye.
“We’re in hurricane season and so it’s just going to take another storm, a wind to blow into this house,” Christ-Rice said.
She and her neighbors called CenterPoint time and time again, but haven’t received an answer.
Only recently did she get assigned a case number. When she called for an update, she said the representative told her the pole was evaluated and deemed to be safe and on a list for repair.
KPRC 2 asked CenterPoint about the leaning pole. Within hours, a spokesperson said a crew would be there on Friday to make repairs.
CenterPoint also provided resources in case you have a similar power pole problem. We’ve outlined those in this story here.
If you have a problem you’re dealing with, we may be able to help. Just reach out through the Click2Houston Help Desk.