Duh! Traffic stinks. But does anyone really know what to do?: Daily Breeze, 6/29/07
Study ranks California roads among the nation’s worst, so experts offer fixes for clogged roads. By Sue Doyle and Harrison Sheppard California’s drivers are stuck in some of the nation’s worst traffic with state highways that are so clogged, poorly paved and costly to maintain that they rank seventh worst in the nation, according to… Read more »
Battle brews over 405 widening project: Los Angeles Times, 6/17/07
By Rong-Gong Lin II Battle brews over 405 widening projectResidents along the 405 are upset that homes may be lost and sound walls moved unnervingly close. Enter the lawyers. As Caltrans moves to widen more freeways as part of a multibillion-dollar infrastructure campaign, road planners are facing an early challenge in tony neighborhoods on the… Read more »
For Eminent Domain, A Shifting Landscape: The Day, 6/23/07
By Elaine Stoll New London — Two years to the day since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld New London’s use of eminent domain at Fort Trumbull, the neighborhood’s last residents have left and the economic development project that displaced them is moving ahead. Susette Kelo, lead plaintiff in the lawsuit Kelo v. City of New… Read more »
De La Torre proposes limits on eminent domain for private uses: San Jose CA Mercury News, 5/21/07
By Steve Lawrence, Associated Press California governments would be prohibited from using their eminent domain powers to acquire owner-occupied homes for shopping malls or other private development under legislation proposed Monday by a Democratic lawmaker and backed by a coalition of business, homeowner and environmental groups.The constitutional amendment and an accompanying bill by Assemblyman Hector… Read more »
Coalition Introduces Eminent Domain Reform Package: Californians for Eminent Domain Reform, 5/22/07
Group Introduces ACA 8 and a Companion Statutory Measure (De La Torre) to Protect Homeowners and Small Businesses from Eminent Domain Press release A broad coalition of homeowner groups, small business representatives, labor, environmental, community and ethnic organizations today joined Assemblyman Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) in unveiling a package of eminent domain reforms… Read more »
Eminent domain ‘reform’ a scam by backers of status quo: San Diego CA Times-Union, 5/24/07
Opinion By Chris Reed It could not be more obvious that California needs to reform eminent domain laws, which are often used to punish homeowners and businesses out of favor with City Hall and reward well-connected firms. So I welcomed news that another eminent domain reform initiative had surfaced in Sacramento.Unfortunately, it turns out to… Read more »
‘Reform’ that’s worse than doing nothing: Orange County CA Register, 5/24/07
Editorial Government-backed measure on reining-in eminent domain would do little good No one should be shocked by dishonesty in the political process, but an effort by the League of California Cities and other big-government organizations to supposedly restrict the abuse of eminent domain is so dishonest that it’s worthy of caution.Consider: The groups that over… Read more »
City of Del Rey Oaks Defends Eminent Domain Ordinance: Monterey County CA Herald, 5/24/07
By Andre Briscoe A new ordinance outlining how Del Rey Oaks could acquire property using eminent domain was written only to comply with state law, according to the city attorney. On Tuesday, the council heard the first reading of the proposed ordinance.But City Attorney Rob Wellington insisted that it was necessary to comply with recently… Read more »
Compensation for Rented Property
When a property is leased or rented, both the owner and tenant may be entitled to compensation, depending on whether the lease contains an enforceable condemnation clause. If there is no condemnation clause, the property is generally valued as a whole and that value is then divided among the owner and the tenants according to… Read more »
Taking Possession of Property Before Final Value is Determined
California Code of Civil Procedure section 1255.410 authorizes the condemning agency to ask the court for possession of the property even before judgement has been entered in the eminent domain proceeding. The court may only do so, however, if the condemning agency has first deposited into the County or State Treasury the amount which it… Read more »