Sam Smith: The eminents get the domain

[Guest guest]

Many years ago, I knew a man who apprenticed, while in college, in

an Urban Renewal agency in a major metropolitan city in upstate NY. He

told me that within the department, there was a snide little in-joke, where

" Urban Renewal " was referred to as " Negro Removal " . Not said where any

outsider could hear it, of course.

 

He left Urban Renewal to focus (outside of government) on making

affordable housing available for poor people.

 

Alobar

 

 

-

 

Sunday, June 26, 2005 10:21 AM

Sam Smith: The eminents get the domain

 

 

>

> " The sad state of liberalism was revealed again in the applause of some

> commentators of the ilk over

> the Supreme Court decision that allows cities to seize people's homes and

> small businesses in order

> to favor big developers, often major contributors to the politicians

> making the decisions.

>

> " Such endorsements ignore the long history of city takings in the name of

> public purposes that, in

> fact, serve as a sop to major corporate interests, especially campaign

> contributors. Part of the

> problem is that it is the least fortunate land owners who get hit the

> worst, since they can't afford

> to take the city to court.

>

> " Unfortunately, liberals have never seen this issue clearly. The first

> great eminent domain case

> based on public taking for private development - i.e. urban renewal - was

> in Southwest Washington in

> 1954. The design was hailed by planners and liberals; a 1955 report for

> the District was titled 'No

> Slums in Ten Years.' Not everyone was so sanguine, however. In a 1959

> report of the National

> Conference of Catholic Charities, the Rt. Rev. Msg. John O'Grady said, 'It

> is sad. It is not urban

> renewal; it is a means of making a few people rich. Instead of improving

> housing conditions, it is

> shifting people around from one slum to another.' "

>

> Full article at:

> http://prorev.com/2005/06/eminent-domain-means-eminent-get.htm

>