INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Public Schools Board voted Tuesday night to use eminent domain, if necessary, to acquire seven homes on Indianapolis' east side so that it can expand IPS School No. 58.

Upset homeowners and others who support the plan voiced their opinion and carried signs to back up their cause, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

Sheila Shafer was one of the vocal opponents. She said she enjoys landscaping her historic home on the corner of Drexel Avenue and New York Street.

Shafer's home and others stand in the way of the district's capital improvement expansion plan for the elementary school.

The district wants to tear down Shafer's home and six others so that it can construct a parking lot.

"Absolutely, I am being (forced out) because I don't want to move, so I am being forced out," Shafer said.

Christian Shafer, Sheila's son, said he doesn't understand why the home might have to be demolished, especially after he and his father made so many improvements to it.

"I've lived in this house my whole life 18 years," Christian Shafer said. "It's horrible. I didn’t expect to stay here my entire life, but it's bad the place I grew up in is getting taken away."

Kristi Sebastian, whose home is also on the list to be demolished, said she won't fight the plan. Sebastian is a teacher for IPS.

"I understand the whole thing about schools, that kids need good schools and better facilities, but I think there's other ways to renovate it," she said.

Homeowner David Hayes expressed disdain for the eminent domain move.

"I'm mad. I'm real mad – pissed, to be truthful. It's not real fair, because they knew they were doing this years ago," Hayes said. "Why do you allow people to still buy houses over here if you knew you were going to knock down their houses anyway and just take their land?"

Homeowners weren't permitted to speak at Tuesday night's school board meeting, but some shouted and held signs showing how they felt.

The board approved the plan to expand the school by a 5-2 vote. IPS said it will make offers for the homes and will use eminent domain only as a last resort.

"The average of two appraisals is what IPS can offer for that property," said Deb Kunce, project manager for IPS.

The Shafers fear that the appraisal won't be fair, given the downturn in the housing market.

"I think it's horrible. I think we should have a choice. We're taxpayers. Our property taxes are paid. We've always paid them, so we should have a choice on this," Sheila Shafer said.

The school board is now authorized to explore all options, which could mean anything from sparing the homes to tearing them down, which is more likely.

"I feel like they're threatening us with eminent domain because they said if we don't leave willingly, they're going to use eminent domain" Christian Shafer said.

Superintendent Eugene White said the board could even consider moving the landlocked school, which IPS acknowledged has little room to expand in any direction.

It will likely be several months and meetings from now before any decision is made on what will happen.