Eminent Domain Report

Here's a quick update about some recent headlines in our eminent domain community.

• Eminent Domain for New School in Foster City?  According to a Mercury News article, Charter Square owners resistant to selling property to school district, the San Mateo-Foster City School District is looking for a site for a new school, and it may turn to eminent domain to acquire the Charter Square Shopping Center.  Moving forward with the new school depends on the passage of a $130 million bond measure in June.  If it goes forward, more than a dozen businesses will need to be relocated.
• Orinda to Condemn ...

Anyone involved in the right-of-way industry understands that communication is key.  Whether you are on the side of a property owner or a public agency, a forced acquisition of property is never comfortable.  But being straightforward and opening an honest dialogue usually goes a long way.  Public agencies and their agents should be prepared to explain the need for the public project, the details of the take, the potential impacts, and how the value of the property was determined.

A perfect example of what happens when there is miscommunication is highlighted in a Redding.com article by ...