They can assess the property for ten bucks or ten million bucks, and it makes no difference: assessments notwithstanding, it's not worth a plugged nickel. In fact, it's worse, because this guy still has to pay property taxes on a $591K assessment when the house is useless.
Have you driven past there? I go by that construction on my way to work every day. The road runs right through what used to be their back yards. There is no way those houses can ever be sold. They are worth nothing.
According to the article a local realtor says the house will lose 1/3 of its value, meaning it will still be worth $100K more than he paid. Some of the people here are complaining because their land IS being taken, others are complaining because their land ISN’T being taken. There is no question that inequities can occur with the use of eminent domain, but at least in this case it is for a legitimate public use.