Welcome to the Future!
Two 5th ward churches are in a brewing eminent domain battle over property that the Houston Housing Authority would like to develop for low income housing and a library. This story has it all- historic churches, a wheel chair bound pastor, and a city relying on recommendations from the neighborhood itself.
The churches:
The legal actions:
A 2011 Michelle Malkin column ties Donalad Trump to eminent domain abuses. The highlights:
…”The city has never capitalized on this to bring tourism. The neighborhood where homes and businesses once stood, is now a giant weed-filled lot near the water. The proposed hotel, condo, restaurant and office complex that was supposed to be built went out the window because the development company that was awarded the contract went out of business after leveling all of the homes and businesses that were there.
This parcel is next to the property that was given to Pfizer by the city….
This fall filming will being for Little Pink House, the film devoted to telling the story of Susette Kelo.
“[The producer] describes it as a classic David and Goliath story that focuses on Kelo, a single mother who had her Connecticut house seized by the city of New London and turned over to private developers. “
During the vetting process, the new Ferris City Manager was asked about his stance on high speed rail, bouyed by allusions of the use of eminent domain.
Ellis County Commissioners Court opposes the high speed rail plan, in part because of the impact on farm land and the use of eminent domain.
Sherman, the new city manager, said he will be too busy running the city to get into politics like high speed rail.
The use of eminent domain for private gain, or in other words, the use of eminent domain by private comapnies like pipelines or transmission lines is dominating state assembly races.
It’s not just Rs and Ds rebuking pipelines for different reasons. Rs support private property rights. Ds are exhibiting a greater concern for environmental issues.
But, it’s also Libertarians, who are actively and viably challenging Republicans.
Rural opposition to high speed rail in Texas has a champion in the organization, Texans Against High Speed Rail.
Opponents to High Speed Rail wants 2 wishes granted:
New Jersey has the State Farmland Preservation Project. Farms that are active in the project are armed with information including:
The tax assessor for Belleville, NJ lowered a property value from $528,000 to $298,900 and then the city manager exercised eminent domain against the price-reduced property.
Belleville is a special case where the tax assessor and the city manager are the same person. Conflict of Interest? A glimpse into other property value manipulations throughout the country?
A Dallas man, who “wanted to stay where the hell he was and be left the hell alone,” is facing eminent domain to make way for a roadway for real estate development deal. That’s the jist of this Dallas Observer piece.
The piece says the public reason for the taking of his property is straightening an intersection 2 blocks away, but alludes to the real reason being a real estate development by former Cowboys.
Here’s what the landowner says transpired: