Evacuate or hunker down? Louisiana residents must decide ahead of Barry's arrival
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Some Louisianans aren't taking any chances on Tropical Storm Barry and are taking refuge in Texas.
"We decided to miss the fun, what can I say?" says Michael Cohen.
Cohen and his family left New Orleans to come to Houston to get away from the storm.
PREPARING FOR BARRY: Louisiana residents fill sandbags and gather supplies ahead of storm
Jeff Moreau, meanwhile, was doing business in Houston.
He's now on his way to get his family in Lafayette, and come back to the Bayou City.
"Hurricanes (are) part of our culture, you know, even here in Texas," Moreau said. "So, it's something that we have to deal with, but you know this is going to be a big rain storm, first storm of the season, so it's always a concern."
RELATED: EYE ON THE GULF: Tropical Storm Barry getting stronger
Some people, like Natalina Perry and her family, are heading home to Louisiana despite the storm.
"All the cars are filled up with gas, got the last of the water off the shelves," Perry said. "The rest of our family is there and if we're going to ride it out, we're going to ride it out together."
Airbnb has activated its "Open Homes" program. They're waiving fees for housing for people leaving Louisiana, to get away from the storm.
"This becomes an option and sometimes it can be a lot easier, especially providing a home where somebody is still able to do laundry or cook meals, or even just knowing that somebody else is there," says Kellie Bentz with Airbnb.
RELATED: After New Orleans flooding, Louisiana braces for possible Hurricane Barry
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