Editor's note: Professor Kellen Zale's definition of eminent domain has been clarified to note that eminent domain authority can only be granted to state or private entities that have been authorized to do so through the Legislature
As ground broke on the master-planned community Dunham Pointe in Cypress, future residents gathered on an unofficial community Facebook group in February to meet new neighbors. While most discussed their home closing dates, several future residents posted about mentions of Texas Central’s high-speed rail project cutting through their homes, with some noting their developers did not offer an opinion on the project’s status.
Michael Fang, who moderates the Facebook group, told Community Impact Newspaper in an email that while the railroad was a big “what if” during his family’s buying process, ultimately the railroad’s procedural hurdles convinced him it was unlikely to succeed.
“A high-speed rail will affect not just Dunham Pointe; it will also affect neighboring communities such as Fairfield, Bridgeland and [Towne Lake]. We decided that [we’ve] already [built] our lives in the area, and we will handle whatever obstacles when the time comes,” Fang said.
