HOUSTON -- As the City of Houston works to overhaul its historic preservation ordinance and preserve its past, a growing group of homeowners and real estate agents say the effort has hurt their ability to sell or buy homes in the city's historic neighborhoods.
The McGahan family said only three people in two months had inquired about the 85-year-old bungalow it has for sale in the Heights.
Jerrie McGahan said she had to sell it to pay for an aging relative's health care.
"[She] has Alzheimer's now and her is care is almost $50,000 a year," she said. "The worst case is that [she] will need to go into a home for us to be able to maintain her medical care."
Earlier this summer, the Houston City Council temporarily stopped the demolition of some homes in historic neighborhoods.
The Mayor hoped the new ordinance would make that permanent.
"It will have an impact on your ability to destroy an historic asset in the city of Houston," she said. "We don't care what you do on the inside. But we will have some construction standards on the outside."
Veteran real estate agents said homes in the city's historic neighborhoods hadn't seen much movement since the council's decision in June.
"I think we're seeing a noticeable drop of people willing to buy a house, remodel it or buy a lot to build on," said Bill Baldwin, a real estate agent at Boulevard Realty in the Heights.
McGahan said said she wanted the new rules to be fair and take into account the situation she and others were in.
"To say that we're going to put more value on a structure, than on people that paid for this house and have lived here for over 50 years is wrong," McGahan said.
The City of Houston has planned several public meetings to discuss the proposed historic preservation ordinance with residents.
On August 3, a meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Proctor Plaza Community Center, 803 West Temple, for residents of the Norhill, Woodland Heights and Freeland Historic Districts.
On August 5, a meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Glenbrook Methodist Church, 8635 Glen Valley, for residents of the Glenbrook Valley Historic District.
On August 10, a meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the United Way, 50 Waugh, for residents of the Heights East, Heights West and Heights South Historic Districts.
Residents have also appeared before the Houston City Council to share their concerns with the Mayor and council members.
