Travis Upchurch’s grownup youngsters were common audio system this yr at Aldine ISD school board conferences, the place they’ve requested trustees to rethink a plan to gain their father’s property through eminent domain and use it as parking for an under-construction soccer stadium subsequent door.
Now they are asking to be joined by way of different neighborhood individuals and stakeholders of their a part of northeast Houston – the place Upchurch’s roots run as deep because the school district’s.
Upchurch, a 79-year-old retired chippie, mentioned his grandfather as soon as owned the land the place W.W. Thorne Stadium is being rebuilt as a part of a $50 million mission. His family tree additionally features a former Aldine ISD trustee, the primary PTA president within the district and a Swedish immigrant who in 1905 wrote a letter encouraging other people to transfer to Aldine as it had fertile soil for farming, in accordance to his youngsters.
Now Upchurch’s family is combating to stay him in the similar house the place he is lived for the remaining 46 years. Aldine ISD has made more than one provides to purchase his 1-acre property at 1810 Aldine Meadows Rd. and threatened to invoke eminent domain if he does no longer settle for, with trustees vote casting in April to approve one of these continuing.
Upchurch mentioned he needs to “stay here until I kick the bucket,” and his daughter, Tara Upchurch, described Tuesday evening’s school board assembly as a “last-ditch” alternative to exchange the minds of school board individuals and make certain that can occur. She mentioned Monday she’s enlisted about 30 supporters to discuss on the upcoming assembly.
“Our great-great grandfather invited people to come to Aldine to live here, and now his great-grandson is getting kicked out,” Tara mentioned. “It’s just crazy.”
The family does no longer object to promoting the school district an adjoining property the place Travis Upchurch’s mom lived till she died in 2009, in accordance to his youngsters, as it has since been vacant. Aldine ISD owns all of the surrounding land on that facet of Aldine Meadows Road close to the southwest nook of the intersection between that side road and Aldine Westfield Road.
Aldine ISD first of all presented to purchase Upchurch’s house within the spring of 2022 and submitted a next be offering in July of this yr, the district prior to now informed Houston Public Media. According to an electronic mail equipped by way of Tara Upchurch, the district submitted its “final offer” previous this month and indicated that eminent domain could be exercised if the be offering isn’t accredited. Eminent domain is a procedure through which a governmental entity can gain personal property for public use whilst offering repayment for the land.
The Upchurch family met with prison suggest for the school district Monday afternoon and used to be informed that Aldine ISD would no longer escalate the topic and record an eminent domain lawsuit so long as the 2 events maintained an open discussion, in accordance to Tara, who added that they got a casual closing date of December to figure out an agreeable deal.
The family has presented to give Aldine ISD first crack on the property after Travis dies or a sale settlement through which the district would purchase the land now however permit Travis to reside there till he dies or is now not bodily in a position, Tara mentioned. The school district has denied the ones probabilities, in accordance to the e-mail she only if used to be despatched Sept. 8 from an actual property skilled representing Aldine ISD.
The school district didn’t instantly reply to a remark and interview request about the most recent trends within the land dispute. Aldine ISD mentioned in a July remark that its follow is “to purchase properties for district use at a fair and reasonable price before any eminent domain proceeding is initiated.”
“We really want to work with Aldine ISD to make sure we both get what we want,” Tara mentioned. “At this point, we don’t care about the money. It’s not about the money. It’s just about trying to keep our dad in his home.”
None of the seven trustees for Aldine ISD instantly spoke back to emails in the hunt for remark Monday.
The school board individuals have expressed empathy and a willingness to paintings with the Upchurch family, Tara mentioned. But additionally they have no longer long past again on their April vote to pursue eminent domain to gain her father’s longtime property, which has been in his family for greater than a century.
Tara mentioned she hopes the trustees are keen to be versatile, including that the nervousness related to the opportunity of dropping his dwelling house might be contributing to some fresh well being problems that experience arisen along with her father. Travis mentioned he does no longer perceive why Aldine ISD needs to use his land for parking, including that he is by no means noticed a complete crowd within the stadium right through all of the years he is lived subsequent to it.
“Four of them are up for re-election in two months,” Tara mentioned of the Aldine ISD board individuals. “I really doubt they would want this to interfere with them getting elected. It seems like a funny thing to possibly lose your seat over.”
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