Family Gives Up Living In Devastated Neighborhood

by Doug Wernet

EL PASO — A family is trying desperately to hold on to their property as a central El Paso neighborhood devastated by Storm 2006 is in its last days.

The Kassfy family said they have refused constant offers from the city officials who want to buy out their property. The city has been buying up all the homes in the Saipan area after they decided it was unsalvagable after storm 2006.

City officials say the entire neighborhood was prone to flooding during strong rainstorms and plan to turn the area into a storm water retention pit.

“Its just a punch in the face man,” said Ali Kassfy, “we have never wanted to sell it because it has a lot of sentimental value.” They have decided to throw in the towel because they just cannot go on living in a ghost town any longer.

The Kassfy’s are one of two families still living in the desolate neighborhood. “They’ve been tearing down all these houses and we’ve been hearing it,” said Kassfy. “It’s kind of like pushing us out, forcing us out … like ‘get out of here!'”

Kassfy said thirty years worth of memories of him growing up and living with his family in the neighborhood are being taken away every time a home is demolished.

All he sees now are rows of abandoned houses waiting to be demolished and heaps of trash and debris from homes that have already been destroyed.

On one of the empty homes, a spray-painted sign that reads “the end” is summing up what has happened to the once-thriving neighborhood.

“I’d come home from school and the bus would drop me off here.”