Lifelong El Paso Residents Forced Out For New Drainage System

Central El Paso residents, many elderly, are being forced out of their homes to make way for a new Stormwater drainage system.

An entire central El Paso block is being demolished to make room for the new drainage system and residents of the neighborhood are being kicked out of homes that they have owned for decades.

Generations have called the area home and some say El Paso Water is not paying enough for the homes they are assuming control of to make way for their new project.

The area located at Mobile Avenue and Myles Street, near Austin High School, is about to become, KFOX reports, a new "Stormwater pond and conveyance system".

Grace Carter says that she is sad to see her childhood memories turned to dirt adding that that she finds the entire situation unfair to the neighborhood's current residents.

"My parents are the ones who really have to pay the price for this," Carter said. "And they’re elderly, they thought this was going to be their forever home. And for them to have to start all over somewhere else, at their advanced age, their comfort zone is shot." - KFOX

How Much Were Residents Paid For Their Homes?

According to Ray Huerta, not enough. He said the first offer was for $125,000 and that $100,000 - $200,000 isn't enough these days to buy another home. Other residents near the area were offered money to clear out but were able to deny the offers and stay.

El Paso Water maintains that they have a good track record when it comes to dealing with property owners. Demolition of the area has begun but, apparently, there is no set plan for the drainage area yet.