Council approves three resale-property sales, denies one; buyer named as Z.J. Abasale placed all offers

The Freeport City Council on Feb. 18 approved the sale of three tax-resale parcels and denied a fourth after questioning over neighborhood character, maintenance and whether the sales undercut nearby market values.

City Secretary Miss Kramer told the council that four offers presented that night had been approved by the Brazoria County resale committee and that the process brings delinquent properties back onto the tax rolls after auctions. She said the goal is to resolve unpaid taxes and return property to private ownership; the county task and the county resale committee review and recommend offers to the city as the taxing entity.

The council voted 4–1, with Councilman Matamoros the lone opposing vote, to approve the sales of three lots: a Velasco Townsite parcel (offer $3,300; county-recorded taxes due shown as $3,265 for 02/2002–02/2022; the city’s expected net share after costs was reported as $702.46), a west 10-foot slice in the Alaska Townsite (offer $1,400; taxes due not specified in the packet excerpt), and a Velasco Townsite 25-foot parcel (offer $3,300; taxes due $2,415.17 for 02/2007–2022). Council voted to deny sale of an undivided 50% interest in two lots (Lots 4 and 10) after staff said the other 50% owner had paid taxes and council preferred to give that owner an opportunity to acquire the delinquent half.

Councilman Matamoros said he opposed approving lots that are maintained by adjoining residents and warned that selling at the low resale price could be used later to lower the tax-appraised value for adjacent parcels. “If we start undercutting ourselves and selling off lots, that’s what we’re doing,” Matamoros said. He said he would “vote no on every single one of these” if they were not adjoining owners and voiced concern the resale price would be used to reduce future appraisals.

Kramer said the resale committee in Brazoria County approved the offers and that any purchaser must satisfy the post-judgment taxes; if the city denies offers twice, the county may place the parcels back on a live auction and the city’s role is limited.

Miss Kramer and council members also identified the purchaser on the four offers as Z.J. Abasale (spelled in the packet and the meeting as variations of that name); staff said the county resale committee was familiar with the bidder. Council discussed that three of the four offers came from the same purchaser and that the parcels are scattered rather than contiguous.

Votes at a glance: - Agenda item 2b (Velasco Townsite, Block 6 90 4 Lot 16): motion to approve carried 4–1; council expected to receive $702.46 after costs. - Agenda item 2c (Alaska Townsite, Block 60 1, west 10-foot of Lot 10): motion to approve carried 4–1 (taxes due not specified in packet excerpt). - Agenda item 2d (Velasco Townsite, Block 5 70 1, Lot 4, 25-foot parcel): motion to approve carried 4–1; taxes due $2,415.17 for 02/2007–2022. - Agenda item 2e (Velasco Townsite, Lots 4 & 10, undivided 50% interest): motion to deny carried; council instructed staff to contact the other 50% owner who was current on taxes.

What happens next: Approved sale transactions will proceed through county resale paperwork and, after completion, the parcels will be returned to the tax rolls. Staff will contact the co-owner for the denied sale as directed by council.