Eminent Domain Report

 Here's a few updates on eminent domain-related issues taking place in California this week:

• City of Covina Condemnation:  According to an article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Covina using eminent domain to take property from Alhassen-controlled company, the City of Covina has filed an eminent domain action to acquire a vacant, half-acre property owned by West Covina-based developer Ziad Alhassen.  The City intends to utilize the property for parking for police department employees and County firefighters.  The condemnation action was necessary after the City and the owner ...

I wanted to provide a quick update on some things about which we've reported over the past few months:

1.  Los Angeles Unified School District v. Casasola (2010) 187 Cal.App.4th 189

In Court Blurs Line Between Goodwill and Relocation Benefits, we reported on the Casasola decision, which expanded upon the earlier decision in Redevelopment Agency of the City of Emeryville v. Arvery Corporation (1992) 3 Cal.App.4th 1357 to hold that business owners cannot recover as lost business goodwill anything that falls within the scope of the Relocation Act, whether or not the losses are actually ...

According to a Pasadena Star-News article, "Pasadena may use eminent domain to seize historical building," next month the City of Pasadena will consider authorizing the use of eminent domain to acquire a historical building designed by California's first prominent female architect, Julia Morgan.  The building, located at 78 N. Marengo Ave. near City Hall, was built in 1921, making it one of the earliest historical structures in Pasadena.  Pasadena is apparently ready to turn to eminent domain because the historical site has been fenced up and abandoned for more than a decade.

So ...