NJ’s threat to take Holocaust survivor’s land: Another Kelo land grab in the making

New York Post ^ | 05/20/2014 | Editorial Board

[SeekAndFind]

Charlie Birnbaum’s parents were Holocaust survivors whose patch of the American Dream was a modest Atlantic City home near the ocean.

Their son has held on to it — through hurricanes, economic slumps and even his mother’s murder.

Today, it may be taken away when the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority asks a state court to give it Charlie’s property.

The CRDA basically argues it has the right to take whatever properties it wants and do with them whatever it wants to reshape Atlantic City whatever way it wants.

Traditionally, to seize someone’s property through eminent domain, you had to show some public use — e.g., a bridge, a school, a highway.

But ever since the Supreme Court OK’d the seizure for economic purposes of some working-class Connecticut homes in its 2005 Kelo decision (for a development that was never built), governments have cast a greedy eye on homes they would like to take.

[SeekAndFind]

NOTE: The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority does not have any plan in existence for the property.

It just thinks it can put it to better use than Charlie can — so it’s going to take it from him.

Now, the government can "take now, plan later" on anyone's property.

If the courts rule in favor of the CRDA, property rights will become meaningless in this country.

And oh, for those who don't know it, after Justice Souter ruled in favor of the City of New London to take Susette Kelo's property, the so called Pfizer development never pushed through. The entire property lies EMPTY and UNUSED.

Pfizer of course plans to move her HQ OUT of the USA to London.

[gr8eman]

Any cogent thinking human being that voluntarily lives in that swamp up there has it coming to him/her, IMO. The rest are just happy to be victims!

[osagebowman]

Any cogent thinking human being that voluntarily lives in that swamp up there has it coming to him/her, IMO.

While I don't disagree with your thoughts about New Jersy, what is happening there can happen anywhere. The City Council in my town took a couple of homes for the convenience of a shopping center developer and they have tried twice, in the past year and a half, to blight my neighborhood for its "economic development potential".

My neighborhood is a mix of older homes, smaller homes, and rental property, but everything is very well-kept. The problem is that the City Council thinks they need a larger population base, i.e., more apartments, to keep the downtown area alive and my neighborhood is expendable.

So unless you live in the middle of a typical subdivision, keep an eye on what your local government is doing.