January 6, 2009 - Never before has a budget proposal put California private property rights at such risk. California already has some of the weakest private property laws in the Nation. Under current law, a modest home or productive business can be deem blighted and subjected to eminent domain even if it is just next to so-called "blighted" property. As Dan Walters points out, in return for diverting redevelopment funds to the State of California, these very agencies can redesignate properties "blighted" without any new blight studies! This budget plan will only give public agencies financial incentives to gobble up private property from unwilling sellers to satisfy government's insatiable need for new tax revenue!
December 29, 2008 – Eminent Domain/Water Rights: The Conaway Ranch, once threatened by eminent domain, is being sued by environmental groups for selling its surplus water.
December 21, 2008 – The Orange County Register editorializes on the ills of redevelopment.
December 7, 2008 – Victorville residents say city’s “land grab” ruined them.
December 5, 2008 – Azusa furniture store owner begins petition drive to save his business from eminent domain.
December 2, 2008 -
The fight to protect Baldwin Park from eminent domain abuse is over. The developer’s business has collapsed and he even had to sell his home!
November 26, 2008 – Only after a ranch and modest homes are seized by eminent domain and bulldozed does the developer pull the plug on the project. Yet another promise of revitalization at the expense of property rights fails!
November 25, 2008 – Illustrating that property owners are never truly compensated when their property is seized by eminent domain, a developer is suing a public agency for NOT using eminent domain to acquire property on the cheap. While it cost them more, the agency chose to do the right thing. They entered into a willing agreement with the property owner.
November 24, 2008 – Efforts to use eminent domain to build an NFL team in Los Angeles is not dead! How can a stadium be built when homes and businesses stand in the way?
November 21, 2008 - Today, property owners in Baldwin Park are celebrating! For the past two years, the City of Baldwin Park was working with a controversial developer to seize over 200 homes and 300 businesses by eminent domain - an area of over 125 football fields! This week, the developer backed out of the deal!
November 16, 2008 – Only weeks after the City of Sacramento acquires private property under the threat of eminent domain does the city’s chosen developer seek even more taxpayer dollars to subsidize the project. The property owner gets pennies on the dollar for his property and now taxpayers get fleeced! What’s next?
November 13, 2008 – Former residents (over 1000 families) of Chavez Ravine share painful memories of being tossed from their homes for Dodger Stadium and never being fully compensated for their lost property.
November 12, 2008 – South San Joaquin Irrigation District lobbies business group to stay neutral on their efforts to seize PG&E property by eminent domain.
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November 9, 2008 – Read how San Francisco’s “Harlem of the West” lost over 900 businesses and 4,700 homes to eminent domain and little to show for it! As the city takes on redeveloping San Francisco’s last remain black neighborhoods, have they not learned from their mistakes?
October 31, 2008 - The Long Beach Press Telegram says, “Residents of North Long Beach, worried that some of their homes might be condemned for redevelopment projects, are giving City Hall a tough time. Rightfully so.”
October 28, 2008 – Long Beach pack rats beware! City of Long Beach considers homes blighted if you can’t fit your car in your garage. Organization that litigated the Kelo case before the U.S. Supreme Court finds this "bizarre and offensive."
October 21, 2008 – As columnist Dan Walters reports, redevelopment projects that are intended to revitalize communities can backfire.
October 17, 2008 – Threatened by eminent domain, historic Long Beach bookstore closes its doors after nearly 75 years of business.
October 14, 2008 - The Alliance announces their endorsements of property right advocates in key races across California.
October 8, 2008 –Prop. 99 proves to be a sham! Yesterday, the City of Long Beach voted to extend eminent domain powers to its redevelopment agency in accordance with Prop. 99, or so they say. Redevelopment interests that drafted and financed Prop. 99 claimed throughout their campaign that their measure provided “iron-clad” protections for homeowners. However, the City has found several loopholes, including one that allows them to seize homes if the homeowner does not comply with “maintenance standards,” including having a untidy garage. Pack rats beware of eminent domain!
September 30, 2008 - Governor Schwarzenegger vetoes AB 2686. The bill would have allowed tribes, sovereign nations, to join joint powers authorities that have the power of eminent domain. In 2005, a Yolo County tribe sought to use their vast financial resources to fund an eminent domain taking of Conaway Ranch -- over 17,000 acres farmland and its water rights.
September 24, 2008 - The City of Vista doubles the size of its redevelopment area with no written assurances that private property won’t be seized by eminent domain.
September 21, 2008 – Property owners in Yorba Linda qualify a eminent domain reform measure that will appear on the November ballot.
September 20, 2008 - Despite assurances by the Vista redevelopment agency that they won't seize homes by eminent domain, the city fuels community distrust by refusing to put it writing!
September 17, 2008 - The Long Beach Press Telegram narrows in on Proposition 99’s blatant flaws and explains why property owners have a right to be uneasy with government taking of private property.
September 16, 2008 - Despite opposition from residents, Long Beach extends power of eminent domain to seize private property.
September 15, 2008 -
Yet another national public opinion survey reveals that Americans overwhelming oppose the seizing of private property by eminent domain for economic development purposes. 88% of Americans feel that private property rights is a fundamental right.
September 11, 2008 - A local citizen discovers firsthand how a citizens committee designed to advise a city on a redevelopment project was rigged to undermine private property rights.
September 2, 2008 - Redevelopment agencies that have acquired considerable wealth by seizing private property on the cheap now stand to lose funds to balance the state budget. All the property owners who have lost their property to eminent domain are not shedding any tears for them.
August 29, 2008 - An Atascadero paper reports, "Pat and Sue Gaughn, the Atascadero property owners who sued the city of Atascadero in 2006 claiming ingenuine threats of eminent domain damaged them in excess of $200,000, reached a settlement with the city's self-insurance pool last week." This case illustrates how public agencies use the threat of eminent domain to force people from their property!
August 28, 2008 - Under pressure from local residents, Baldwin Park appears to have modified its ambitious plan by limiting their abusive takings of private property to small business properties only. Unfortunately, this came too late for 40 homeowners and will do nothing for over 300 small business owners like Ken Woods whose family business will face eminent domain and the bull dozer for the second time!
August 25, 2008 - The LA Business Journal reports on how a group that tried to swindle the state of millions of dollars is to acquire a shopping center project by eminent domain. It pays to be politically connected in LA!
August 23, 2008 - Reece Eptein, with Project 21 black leadership network, writes, "Self-professed champions of the poor don't help when they oppose eminent domain reform."
August 18, 2008 - In July, the Los Angeles Times reported that a politically connected developer boasted of its relationship with the LA redevelopment agency and lucrative returns on properties, some of which were seized by eminent domain. On Friday, the LA City Council approved a redevelopment agency plan to build a shopping center on property seized by eminent domain, too. Here is the catch. It involves a public subsidy of over $20 million! The rightful owners of the property had plans to build a shopping center, too, but with no public assistance. Why is the city wasting taxpayer dollars? Is it because the plan involves conveying the property to a politically non-profit that tried to swindle the State of over $1.3 million for a soccer field never built?
August 14, 2008 - Over 1000 families are threatened by eminent domain in Los Angeles. How can this be since supporters of Prop. 99 say homes are forever protected from eminent domain abuse?
August 13, 2008 - The South San Joaquin Irrigation District continues to position itself financially to acquire PG&E by eminent domain.
August 13, 2008 - Does eminent domain benefit poor neighborhoods in South Los Angeles?
August 10, 2008 - The City of Azusa abandons its redevelopment project only after seizing and demolishing productive businesses by eminent domain! Yet another example of the risks associated with seizing private property and giving it to development interests.
July 27, 2008 - The Orange County Register writes, "So it's with enormous disappointment that we learn that Mr. Howser has agreed to host a 14-segment series paid for by the California Redevelopment Association--the folks who advocate the use of eminent domain on behalf of 'economic development'"...
July 23, 2008 - Action Alert: The California Redevelopment Association (CRA) has bought off renowned TV host of California Gold (Public TV) Huell Howser to do a puff piece on redevelopment, without highlighting how public agencies have used eminent domain to destroy historic business districts, homes and livelihoods. While CRA is a sponsor of this segment, the program is aired on public television. Since this is your tax dollars at work, email Mr. Howser today and demand a balanced segment that tells the stories of enriched developers and victims.
July 22, 2008 - We told you so! Even after Prop. 99 becomes law, Baldwin Park is seizing 100 homes and so is the City of Vista.
July 21, 2008 -The San Francisco Chronicle reports, "The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency will leave the Western Addition in January, ending a 40-year 'urban renewal' project that was touted as a move to wipe out blight but actually destroyed the city's most prominent African American neighborhood."
July 21, 2008 – The idea of having redevelopment agencies bailout the state budget deficit in return for relaxing eminent domain laws is alive and well.
July 20, 2008 – Politically connected lobbying firm boasts of huge returns on LA redevelopment projects. Bob Blue, a private property activist, raises concerns.
July 18, 2008 - City of Vista is yet another city that seeks to exploit a Prop. 99 loophole that exempts redevelopment zones from purported home protections. Shame on proponents of Prop. 99 for tricking voters!
July 13, 2008 - The great debate of who is responsible for "blighted" communities, a requisite for using eminent domain, rages in Stockton. Local columnist says city is responsible!
July 12, 2008 - City files suit to remove two-story-high "End Eminent Domain Abuse" mural in St. Louis!
July 8, 2008 - What has been developed on Suzette Kelo's property, the case that led to the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial Kelo v. New London decision? Nothing! The property was seized for a development project never built!
July 8, 2008 - The City of Baldwin Park
is looking for ways to exploit Prop. 99's loopholes so that
they can seize over 200 homes! Have they no shame?
July 8, 2008 – In return for relaxing the blight
designations that are required to seize private property
from unwilling sellers, the League of CA Cities and redevelopment
interests have come up with a scheme to help bail out the
state’s budget deficit! Making it easier to seize
private property by eminent domain is not an acceptable
solution to balancing state budgets!
ACTION ITEM: Call
your legislators today and urge them to reject the League’s
scheme.
July 5, 2008 - More than 20 years ago, the City of
Indio used eminent domain to demolish homes for retail projects
never built. Locals are now weary of plans to use the vacant
property to save a mall that is going out of business!
June 26, 2008 - Temple City small business owners
believe the city's business moratorium is designed to purposely
create blight so that business property can be seized by
eminent domain.
June 26, 2008 - Jon Coupal, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers
Association President, reflects on the passing of the Kelo
decision's 3rd anniversary and how California still needs
reforms.
June 22, 2008 - Baldwin Park property owners seek
to recall council members for eminent domain abuse.
June 21, 2008 - Home that ignited national property
rights rebellion is relocated to a new location.
June 19, 2008 - Recognizing Prop. 99's shortcomings,
Redding City Council passes Prop. 98 like protections.
June 19, 2008 - See how Proposition 99's weaknesses
and loopholes won't help the citizens in San Bernardino
who are now under the threat of eminent domain.
June 17, 2008 - A rising trend in local utilities
using eminent domain to take private water systems away
from businesses and hand them over to government interests.
June 13, 2008 - Public agency that funneled money
into campaigns opposed to eminent domain reform, rubber
stamps millions worth in tax-free bonds. Calls increase
for greater oversight.
June 12, 2008 - The Sacramento Union reports, "If you voted for Proposition 99 last week, there is an unsettling possibility that you were conned."
June 11, 2008- Pittsburg Redevelopment Agency threatens
waterfront business with eminent domain. They even want
the owner to pay for cleanup of his property should they
acquire it!
June 8, 2008 - Two more papers have come to the conclusion
that Prop. 99 will not protect all Californians from eminent
domain abuse and that more reforms need to be passed.
June 7, 2008 - No more than 2 days after voters passed
Prop. 99 the Seaside City Council extends eminent domain
authority.
June 6, 2008 - Public agency views passage of Prop.
99 as an invitation to seize PG&E's property by eminent
domain.
June 5 - More than 200 homes and businesses in Baldwin
Park are being threatened by eminent domain and city leaders
are unsure if Prop. 99 will stop the city from their redevelopment
plans.
June 5 - Throughout the campaign, proponents of Prop.
99 claimed that they would pursue additional reforms to
fill in Prop. 99's loopholes. However, just days after the
Prop. 99's passage they are backtracking on these promises.
June 4 - Property rights advocates vow to continue
the fight despite the loss of Prop. 98 at the polls.
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