Property acquisition in Texas won't come easy.
Even if the ongoing legislative impasse is broken, the federal government reopens, and President Trump is able to move forward with his promised border wall, Texas property owners along the wall aren't expected to readily give up their land for that purpose.
According to an article by Katie Zezima and Mark Berman, the federal government is already sending letters to property owners in the Rio Grande Valley, "seeking access to their properties for surveys, soil tests, equipment storage and other actions."
"It is, lawyers and experts say, the first step in the government trying to seize private property using the power of eminent domain — a contentious step that could put a lengthy legal wrinkle into President Trump’s plans to build hundreds of miles of wall," according to the article.
The Washington Post has made somewhat of a cottage industry of coverage of the potentially looming property rights battle along the border. The paper also syndicated an article by Nomaan Merchant for the Associated Press on the same subject. Opinion writer Jennifer Rubin amplifies the message from Texans: forget the wall. Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas). Is also on the record as strongly opposed to the wall.
FULL STORY: Trump’s wall needs private property. But some Texans won’t give up their land without a fight.
Trump Administration Lawyering Up for Eminent Domain at the U.S.-Mexico Border
One of the nuggets of significance in the Trump Administration's budget draft indicates the president's seriousness about building a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico.
Eminent Domain Questions Still Dog Texas Central High Speed Rail Plans
The Texas Attorney General took a break from its crusade against unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud to weigh in on a controversial question of property rights.
The Failures of the U.S.-Mexico Border Wall
Trump's promised "impenetrable" wall has proven to be anything but.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions