Reading Review Question #9

[Scott W. Schwartz]

Briefly explain the concept of eminent domain and give an example of its use. Do you think this was a good or bad use of eminent domain?

(from week 12)

[Hakeem Bakare]

The U.S. Constitution requires the government to provide just compensation to the owner of the private property to be taken. For example i could be building something in a certain area and have the blue print and the government can ask for it if i decline they can then offer me money and i could give it to them to either re map my blueprint or they can do whatever they please to the area. Yes, i think this was a good use of eminent domain.

[Fahmi Imteaz]

Eminent domain is the power of a state or the federal government to take private property for public use while requiring “just” compensation to be given to the original owner. This power is justified by believing the benefit of many over weights the benefit of an individual. One example of  eminent domain is in 2005, the state of Georgia, on behalf of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, attempted to seize a property for the building of a daycare center to serve Georgia’s largest hospital. On the property stood a home owned by Julie Montgomery, and rented by 93-year old Julia Lemon. The hospital offered owner Montgomery the “fair market value” of the property at about $50,000, but she was loathe to displace her elderly tenant, who had lived there for 26 years. The Dougherty County Super Court issued a 2006 ruling on the matter requiring the hospital to pay Montgomery $200,000 for her property, as well as paying $51,000 to Lemon to aid in her relocation.

This was a very fair use of eminent domain. The new construction will benefit all the people of the new day care center as well as providing sufficient support to the owner as well as the resident.

[Leslieann]

Eminent domain is the power a providence, state or national government is granted to take private property for the public use, while requiring compensation to be given to the original owner. The property can either be taken for government use or by a third parties through legislative delegations.

An example of eminent domain would be a person (john) who lives on NYC on the same apartment for over 20 years, paying its rent on time and bills as well. Later on the the landlord of the building wants to move all the tenants out and relocate them in order to build in the building ground, since john has lived on that apartment for over 20 years the landlord needs to find a way to “accommodate” him either by a making a better deal or paying him for all the years he had lived there.

I think this was a good use of eminent domain because after all John was living on that apartment for a very long time and made all his payments on time

[Sara González]

Eminent domain is when the government or the people/ company representing them want to and buy out/ TAKE control of an “undeveloped” or “poor” neighborhood. They want to revamp and make as much money they can with that space they are trying to take over.  By bringing high rise buildings and brand name chain stores into the community.

I am of two minds when it comes to eminent domain. On one side, I do not agree with it because they are pushing people away from what they know as home. Changing their atmosphere of there community. This type of change lures different people into the community and ultimately changes the neighborhood. The people who called that place home will no longer be able to afford to live in that very same space.

On the other side, I am one of those people who live in a new high rise and I LOVE my apartment. I have no idea what was here before my building. And whether I walk one block in either direction of my building there is a new high rise going up.  What I can say is that it is convenient to walk 3 to 5 blocks away and go shopping at my favorite stores but besides that, everything is expensive around here.

[Bryan Hauptman]

Eminent domain is when the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation. This is usually done to add value to a neighborhood or place that doesn’t have much value. An example of this is what happened to the Fulton St. mall a couple of years ago.

How I feel about it is that I feel bad for the people who made their livelihoods before the government’s eminent domain kicked them out and I also feel that the government wanting to add value just so they can make a quick buck sickens me to my core!

[Callahan J Smith]

Eminent domain is when the state seizes a private property in order to better the area. The second part of this definition is extremely subjective since who can tell if someones judgement of better is ‘better’? Its like in a super hero movie, there is someone, usually the hero, that obvious is trying to better/protect their town and another party, usually the antagonists, who believes they are also fighting for better. There are a lot of factors that can disputed in eminent domain but in my opninion, its usually used for the state’s benefit rather than the environment’s.

An example of eminent domain is The Zamecniks vs. Hillcrest golfing resort which took place in the 80s. An older couple, the Zamecniks, were offered a lump sum of money for their house but declined since they had history with the house. Eventually all of the Zamecniks’ neighbors all moved out and sold their house to the golf course which was being backed by the state since it would i guess help out the area? In a long legal battle, the couple ended up winning and made them pay nearly double the market price for their house plus legal fees. Ten years later the golf course fell through and left hundreds of empty of houses and hurt the housing market in the area.

I think this is a solid example of why eminent domain really is terrible since it is all hypothetical and subjective.

[xiaoting huang]

Eminent Domain describes the government’s ability to take private land and use it for a public purpose. Often, this means the land is used for things such as parks, roads, parking lots or government buildings. However, more recently, it has been used for other purpose that redefine our idea of “public use.” I don’t think that this was a good use of eminent domain. The Eminent Domain power has recently been a problem in this country because states have been granting private companies and corporations their Eminent Domain power, because the state wants the higher tax base of a large company instead of a home or small business.

[kasandra reid]

“Briefly explain the concept of eminent domain and give an example of its use. Do you think this was a good or bad use of eminent domain?”

Eminent domain is the right of the government to take over the rights of a private property with compensation, though they use it for public use. It can be for a mall, park, highway, or building. For instance, the Brooklyn arena which changed the whole aspect of Brooklyn; turning it into Manhattan. They say it’s for the people but the people are losing. At least, the poor people are.

In this instance, the land was used for a good purpose. Still, I don’t agree with commandeering any persons private land. This world is huge, find somewhere else.

[suhyeon kwon]

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Eminent domain is one of the rights that government own. It is a policy that government is using a someone’s private land for the public good with paying compensation. But the government are in the better position. It is a good policy as long as they pay well and make sure to people settle down well. But if they don’t, I think it’s nothing more than rubbing. For example,) Brooklyn has been developed and it’s still going on. But because of that development, many people who originally lived had to leave because of gentrification. </span>

[Nelson Corchado-Brown]

Eminent Domain is when the government has the right to take away private property for public use and in return receive compensation. One example can be that my neighborhood was targeted by the government to force people out of their homes and turn the space into a huge park or a mall.

[Shamsunnahar Rimi]

Eminent domain is a legal strategy that allows a federal or local government to seize private property for public use. For example, property taken for government buildings, public utilities, highways or railroads. As it is for public benefit but still I don’t think it is good because it can take away someone’s entire savings or property which can shatter his or her dream.

[NAIM ALAM]

Eminent domain is the right of the government to take private property for public use in exchange of compensation. Example: The government took all the houses in a neighborhood by eminent domain to build new highways. I don’t think its a good thing to do, because someone might have worked really hard to get that property.

[Yang Cao]

I think the concept of eminent domain is good, because when the government requisitions a place, it will give money instead of robbing it. I think it is a good way.For example, if your house is in the middle of 42nd Street, but the government wants to buy this place to open a road, then the house can sell a lot of money.

[Author]

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