Since it announced a plan to combat foreclosures by using eminent domain, Richmond, CA has been beset by opposition from Wall Street and Washington. Despite the threats, other cities are exploring using the controversial tool.
Wall Street, real estate interests, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and members of Congress have been applying "intense pressure" to try to head off a plan by Richmond, CA to use eminent domain to keep its residents in their homes.
"Still," writes Shaila Dewan, "cities hard hit by the housing crash are showing interest [in using the tool]. Yonkers, just north of New York City, will soon take up a resolution to study the use of eminent domain to reduce debt, and support is building in Newark as well. In California, Pomona and Oakland are moving forward."
“'Things seem to be picking up steam in Minnesota, and I’ve just been contacted in the past couple of weeks by two cities in Pennsylvania as well,' said Robert Hockett, a Cornell University law professor and one of the architects of the strategy. Nationally, housing prices have begun to recover, but about one in five homeowners still owes more than the home is worth, and in cities like Richmond as many as half do."
FULL STORY: More Cities Consider Using Eminent Domain to Halt Foreclosures
Using Eminent Domain to Keep People in Place
Richmond, California is prepared to become the first city in the U.S. to use eminent domain, a power traditionally utilized to force owners to vacate their land in the name of the public good, for the purposes of stopping foreclosures.
Will Texas High-Speed Rail Become a Reality?
A proposed Houston-to-Dallas rail line shows promise, but faces major hurdles before it can come to fruition.
TxDOT Wages Quiet Battle to Acquire Properties for I-35 Expansion
TxDOT has filed “takings lawsuits” against holdout property owners along the eight-mile stretch of I-35 slated for widening in Austin, but property owners say the agency isn't offering just compensation.
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