In a journey that started with monthly Renton School Board public comments at the IKEA Renton Performing Arts Center and ended on the desk of Gov. Bob Ferguson, the Houston Eminent Domain Fairness Act has been signed into law.
On May 12, Ferguson signed State Bill 5142, which will provide “owners of real estate taken through eminent domain by school districts, or sold under threat of eminent domain, the opportunity to purchase the real estate back when it is not put to intended public use.”
The act was named after John Houston and his family, who have been seeking reparations from the Renton School District after Houston’s parents were threatened with eminent domain in the 1960s so a new school could be built on the land.
Houston’s parents were forced to sell their nearly 10 acres of land that the family used for farming and raising livestock. After two house fires and an explosive that was set off on their front porch, the Houstons “gave up” and sold the land.
“My father had a third-grade education, he couldn’t read or write. My mom had a seventh-grade education so, very limited. They had no money to hire an attorney. So my dad gave up,” said Houston.
In the aftermath, the family splintered and, as Houston told the Renton Reporter in 2023: “They talk about generational wealth and that was taken from me and my siblings, my children, my grandchildren.”
In the end, the school was never built, and the current value of the former Houston land is much higher than what the Houstons were originally paid, when counting for inflation.
Houston met with Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D-District 11) and the state bill was sponsored by Hasegawa, Sen. Mike Chapman, Sen. T’wina Nobles, Sen. Mark Schoesler and Sen. Lisa Wellman. On Jan. 23, Hasegawa spoke at the State Senate Law and Justice Committee Hearing about the bill, along with John Houston, Shailene Houston and others.
“This is an important step in ensuring homes and land, the most important forms of creating generational wealth, are not procured and sold for profit instead of building a school down the line,” said Hasegawa. “Our hope is that what happened to the Houstons never happens again and that families have the opportunity to return home.”
Shortly after the bill passed the house, Houston shared his thoughts with the Renton Reporter.
“It feels great, it’s good to know that there are 97 senators who agree that this was wrong and that’s why they backed this bill and my family,” he said.
The bill passed through the state Senate and House unanimously and landed on the desk of Gov. Ferguson. Hasegawa, the Houston family and their many supporters of the bill were present for the bill being signed into law.
“It’s really my honor to sign this important legislation that moved through both chambers unanimously, I believe, which is a reflection of how important this legislation is and the hard work of everybody involved,” Ferguson said before adding his signature.
Houston, who was a subject in a 2024 documentary “King County Reparations Project,” is still working with attorneys to help his family seek reparations from the Renton School District and is currently working on a book about his life.
”I feel wonderful, I’m glad it’s being done and I think it’s gonna help other people as well,” said Houston. “Twenty years ago, it was just a thought and the more determined I got. This is just another step. It shows that what they did was wrong and that 97 senators agree. No school district will do that again.”
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