Eminent Domain in New Jersey

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This is Robert Scirocco bringing you today's Law Bit.

Last year the US Supreme Court came out with a ruling that supported a town's right to take away the property of homeowners if it could be demonstrated that the neighborhood could be improved by a developer to generate greater tax revenue. Some of the families in that case had been in their homes for 2 or 3 generations only to have the government tell them to get out. New Jersey lawmakers, like many others around the country, responded with outrage and have proposed legislation to add greater protection to the general public. The only problem is the proposed law in New Jersey seems to be of more benefit to the developers than to property owners. Even if your property is kept up and looks nice, if the government finds it is in close proximity to a blighted or rundown area your house can still legally be taken from you along with related areas that the government wants to develop.

This is Robert Scirocco, Attorney at Law, Budd Lake, New Jersey, bringing you today's Law Bit.

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