Jubilee Park transformed into Jubilee Geo / Parking Lot

A few years ago, the O.M. Roberts renovation project quickly transformed from a renovation to a demolition project as DISD had a vision.  But that vision has turned into a nightmare for our community.

The nightmare began when we received letters from DISD informing us that there was an interest in our properties and that DISD had eminent domain authority.  It was more like eminent domination as more letters followed along with telephone calls and personal visits threatening the use of eminent domain. 

Some residents fell victim as they were elderly and others had difficulty translating the notices served by DISD’s counsel.  DISD told them there is no need to obtain legal representation because they had no choice but to surrender their homes to DISD.

 ·        For example, when DISD’s counsel, Mr. Ramirez, contacted Mr. Jamaica, he told him he didn’t have a choice but to sell.  Even though condemnation proceedings were on hold, DISD wouldn’t take no for an answer and continued making offers until he finally relented.

 ·        Then DISD sent a little note to Mrs. Salinas and Mr. Recindos.  A tiny little note that is supposed to be a full translation for a 32 page contract of sale.  The note informs them that they now must pay DISD $800 a month to live in their own home.

 ·        Then there’s Mr. Loftis, who is disabled.  DISD's demolition crew told him that he had to sell or that they were going to take his house apart brick by brick.

 ·        And no one at DISD ever mentioned that residents were selling their mineral rights — which would enable DISD to install geothermal fields near our homes and families.

   The residents received a letter from DISD informing us that DISD was dismissing all lawsuits.  The families and community members thought the worst was over.  But DISD simply had another plan to destroy our community.

 The district teaches respect, honesty, and integrity, but their lack of interest and concern speaks volumes.  Displayed at DISD’s headquarters is a list of Commitments, and Commitment #7 reads:  “Support partnerships with community, business, civic and faith based organizations for achieving excellence.”  But they’ve only threatened to do harm to this community, and for no good reason.

It’s truly disappointing to hear “we would have loved to have a better design, but this is what we have today” or this is "the best we could do” as quoted in the DMN and the Dallas Observer.  In fact, when other options have been presented to DISD, they simply ignored them and gone forward with eminent domain.  They have their minds set on taking our homes and dreams and refuse to listen to reasonable alternatives.

 For example, the BC Workshop prepared a proposal for a 3,200 square foot parking lot — a parking lot that could be built by purchasing the vacant buildings and parking lots across from the school.    That just doesn’t make sense.  Why punish homeowners when the land DISD needs stands vacant?  Why take our homes for no reason?  DISD can’t answer that question without admitting that it wants us gone.

 DISD is proposing to place a parking lot right in-between homes in our community — a parking lot for 114 cars.  But consider this.  City of Dallas code allows 1-½ parking spaces per classroom.  The new school will have 39 classrooms, meaning that City Code only allows for 60 parking spaces.  But DISD is proposing to place 114 parking spaces in-between our homes.  That’s 54 spaces over what Dallas City Code allows.

Ladies and gentlemen, DISD opened three new elementary schools last month like the new George Bush Elementary.  This picture shows the faculty parking right next to the school — not across the street or in-between homes.  The same design is used for the Ebby Halliday and Wilmer-Hutchins elementary.  A 114 space parking lot that violates City Code in-between our homes creates a dangerous hazard to the community with increasing exhaust fumes, discharge of fluids from parked cars, and increased traffic would negatively impact our area.  Not to mention the threat to children playing near the high traffic areas.  Why can’t DISD just put the parking lot next to the school as they did with these new elementary schools?

 In summary, our community has suffered dehumanizing discrimination by DISD.    DISD teaches respect, honesty and integrity but has failed to show these values when taking our homes.  We support better education, better compensation for our teachers and preservation of neighborhoods like ours.

 Our hearts and minds are filled with hope that our future generations can live in a place called home without fear of a dangerous parking lot, geo-thermal fields, or future threats of eminent domain against remaining residents. 

Please don’t let DISD transform Jubilee Park into the Jubilee Parking Lot. This is serious and could happen to your own community just like it's happening to Jubilee Park.

Contact your DISD Trustee, City Council Member and State Representatives and let them know you don't  want Jubilee Park to be transformed into Jubilee Parking and Geo Parks

Thank you for your continued support.