Eminent domain

As Philadelphia neighborhoods like Brewerytown are transformed by corporate development projects which place profit over people, we must support the communities that have fought for survival. Songhai City Cultural Center and the brave leaders of African American Business and Residents Association (AABRA) are a perfect example.

On Monday November 11th 2009, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that it will abandon its $300 million dollar world research-and-development headquarters in New London CT.  This comes only  four years after a Pfizer-inspired development plan resulted in the landmark Kelo v. New London Supreme Court ruling, which sanctioned the use of eminent domain for private development.

Soon to air on in West Philly on 88.1FM WPEB, ADSC's new radio show explores issues of housing, development and displacement. Through interviews with residents who have been displaced or who are fighting to keep their communities intact and stories highlighting the effects of redevelopment, this show will ask the question, "Who is the 'revitalized' city for?"

This edited interview will air on WXPN 88.5 on Monday, 3 March 2008 at 8pm. The text below is a transcript of the edited interview. Or click here to listen.Interview 1 "The house on H_ Street is place where I grew up at with my mother and my father; we spent many years there. In fact I was like approximately about 9 years old when we moved in the house…I was 62 when I was put out the house so I've lived most of my life there. They took it under eminent domain. Eminent domain is something that most people do not know anything about and I was one of those people. I came home one evening and it was like a flyer in my door and I picked it up and I looked at it and it says ah, These redevelopment proposals call for the new construction of residential properties in a development known as Millcreek. We would like to meet with you to discuss the relocation process. You may be entitled to relocation benefits under the Federal Uniform Relocation Act. The meeting was to be held at Martha Washington School at 44th and Aspen on May the 29th at 6:30 pm. Well it turned out to be very bad because we wanted to know about our homes and they were telling us about how many jobs this would create and how nice it would be for the people in the area because they needed jobs and we're saying to them we don't want to know about jobs we want to know about our homes. What are you talking about? The next thing I know the police was there and they put us out.

Students of PASCEP is seeking help in finding a space for a class project, showing a film, All for the taking, about eminent domain in Philadelphia and have a discussion, Min 20 to Max 50 person for 2 hours on a Saturday Raymond

Some of you might be interested in this discussion happening on the Young Philly Politics blog about the city's declaration of the area around Broad and Washington as a redevelopment zone.

Interesting article in today's (6/25/07) Philadelphia Daily News showing just how abusive government can be.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/

The Redevelopment Authority (RDA) for the city of Philadelphia authorized the following 47 takings at their board meeting on March 27th, 2007. All 47 properties were residential but said to be vacant and declared blighted. They were taken by the RDA in accordance with provision 12.1 of the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code. Funds for the acquisition are being provided by the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. The total acquisition cost for all properties is $1,671,4000. For a list of takings click

200 to Continue Protest Against Turnpike Expansion

April 10, 2007 - Tonight, about 200 people will face off against the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The Commission plans an expansion project through a stretch of Montgomery County. It targets nine homes for a complete takeover, and some of the land owned by about 200 others.

Tonight's meeting is the second on the issue, which will be held at Pennbrook Middle School in North Wales.

By SuZQ | 03.27.2007

The Budd Street garden, home to beautiful trees and two greenhouses, which has for years been the site of grassroots neighborhood food distributions and community composting, is being bulldozed this week. It was seized via Eminent Domain from its owners, the gardeners, who bought it at a Sherriff's action and have yet to be compensated for it by the city.

More on this:

http://www.phillyimc.org/en/2005/10/16917.shtml