Some Glenbrook Valley residents fighting historic preservation ruling

Some residents in the Glenbrook Valley neighborhood are protesting a petition for historic designation, saying that many of the signatures on the petition are invalid or the residents of those Houston homes were told to sign it under false pretenses, KTRK-TV reports.

According to the station, the application was approved earlier this year with 51 percent support, due largely to the petition's success. But some residents who are opposed to the move say that there are significant discrepancies.

"We got people who have deceased, people who have moved, a lot of renters here who have admitted to signing for the owner," resident Joe Ablaza told the station. "Once we become a historical designation, there is no going back."

Residents who support the measure told the station that all signatures were certified, and people knew what they were signing up for. Those fighting the measure told the station that the city's planning commission will still vote to make the region a historical district based on the original petition.

While establishing a historic district does somewhat limit homeowners, it can also have positive effects. A study by the Hobby Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston found that appraised home values in historic districts were higher than home prices in other areas.