property rights lost

[chelidon]

Pay attention to this one if you're a property owner, or may be someday. What it essentially says is that your local government can seize your property at any time, for any reason they deem sufficient, including because a developer wants what you have. Aside from the injustice issues (and I agree with O'Conner in her dissent), this makes it all the more important to pick a place to live where you trust your local government, if at all possible.

Full story: High court OKs personal property seizures (subhed: Majority: Local officials know how best to help cities)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- -- The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development.

It was a decision fraught with huge implications for a country with many areas, particularly the rapidly growing urban and suburban areas, facing countervailing pressures of development and property ownership rights.

The 5-4 ruling represented a defeat for some Connecticut residents whose homes are slated for destruction to make room for an office complex. They argued that cities have no right to take their land except for projects with a clear public use, such as roads or schools, or to revitalize blighted areas.

As a result, cities have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes to generate tax revenue.

Comments

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

I did want to say that one of the benefits of giving cities this right is that, in many cases, people living in a given city (with the exception of perhaps the very biggest) do have access to their public officials, to say, "Hey, I live here. I don't want you to go forward with this project because I will lose my home/business." I've seen city councils be responsive to those kinds of requests in many cases. (Though not all.) Local democracy is one of the few places left where you can have that kind of personal interaction with the people who represent you (or, hopefully, the people you elected to office).

Actually, there are some times I think city officials should listen to their constituents, and some times when I think they should do things that are in the best interest of their constituents, but that's probably a rant for another time.