Developers Want To Force Florida City To Seize Homes

After the Supreme Court's unconstitutional (in my opinion) Kelo decision, allowing the City of New London, Conn., to seize residents homes and then turn them over to private developers, many states adopted legislation outlawing such activities. One such state was Florida. Now some developers in Riviera Beach, Fla. may try suing the city to force town officials to take people's property.

According to the AP, before Florida passed its law against using eminent domain to benefit private developers:

The city was moving ahead with the plans over the objections of some residents who refused to move out of their homes to make way for the project in potentially one of the nation's largest eminent domain seizures.

Mayor Michael Brown has said the city would use eminent domain to force home and business owners to sell their properties in an effort to bring a higher tax base and better paying jobs to the city. However, city officials contend that many residents would choose to sell, making forceable eviction unnecessary.

But after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that local governments could use the power of eminent domain to obtain property for such private development, Florida and 30 other states passed laws restricting the seizures. . . .

However, Floyd Johnson, executive director of Riviera Beach's redevelopment agency, said the city now has no choice but to follow the law. It cannot force residents out of their homes against their will, Johnson said.

Not force residents out of their homes against their will? Imagine that!