Steven Greenhut’s opinion piece at the Orange County Register, “The powerless have always been targets of eminent domain,” makes some good points about eminent domain abuse, and the recently-argued Wilkie case (regarding the right to be free from government retailition for defending a Fifth Amendment right), and is worth reading:
“Cities use code words,” explained Supervisor Chris Norby, a longtime foe of eminent domain abuse. “In the 1950s and 1960s, governments used the term ‘urban renewal,’ but critics knew that it was widely called ‘Negro removal.’ These days, we’re looking at forced gentrification,” as cities try to redevelop poorer areas into wealthy areas.
. . . .
Today’s code words and attitudes may be different than they were in the 1920s, but by giving government so much power to drive people off their land, we all are subject to the whims and rationales of officials. In the 1920s, officials didn’t think blacks were “appropriate” for the neighborhood, and these days officials don’t want “working-class people” enjoying prime land that could be home to upscale condos.
“Smart growth,” “sustainability,” and “transit-oriented development” may have replaced “urban renewal” in the land use lexicon, but they — like their predecessor code words — often mask other agendas.