The headline has a question mark at the end; that's the extent of the "questioning". The rest of it lists every point made to support the decision to stay. It even notes at the end that both FEMA[1] and the state government not only refused to question the mayor's decision but backed it.
It's not a critical story, and it's disingenuous to suggest that simply because "even NPR" ran an explainer story, that there's some widespread official or credible base of observers "questioning the present stance".
[1] Literally:
> The head of FEMA, Brock Long, "did not question the decision," Reuters reports.
>But at some point, of course, those floodwaters do become deadly. If lower floors flood completely, Houston's Office of Emergency Management cautioned, residents should never take refuge in the attic unless they have a way out. They could risk being fatally trapped.
> Attempting to drive through flooded streets is a common cause of death during heavy rainstorms.
Basically, you are damned if you stay and damned if you drive. Maybe building a float from furniture would work, but I think the Office of Emergency Management knows better than random internet commenters how to handle a flood.
[1]http://www.npr.org/2017/08/29/546978194/with-much-of-houston...
[1]http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/08/28/546721363/...