Redeveloment Blues
Early urban redevelopment almost always hurt low-income families.
Eminent domain is the power of government to condemn and take private property for public use. Because it plays a major role in urban blight renovation, it most often affects poor families of color. In 2006, the Casey Foundation’s Neighborhood Development unit convened people on both sides of the eminent domain issue to see how this tool could be used to support rather than displace families. The discussion produced a set of guiding principles for the responsible use of eminent domain outlined in this report.
The 2005 Supreme Court Kelo decision sparked debate over the use and scope of eminent domain, spurring a multitude of actions at the local, state and federal levels.
The aim of Responsible Redevelopment is not to stop revitalization, but to influence actions and leverage monies to improve the help available for affected families.