So, Houston collects money (probably through some kind of tax/bond issue?) to prepare for/remedy the damage caused by Ike. Fine, whatever.
People with money and property probably pay the lion's share. Okay, whatever.
Ike does less damage than expected. Good.
Now, they're planning on directly handing this surplus to people who have shown themselves to be credit risks, so that they can pay off their credit cards, and buy houses. This, just after a huge mortgage scandal that resulted in huge numbers of foreclosures.
Wait, what?