Summary
Two privately-owned Oakland businesses are forced to shut down to make way for a new real estate development following the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling on eminent domain, which makes it easier for local governments to buy out property owners who are unwilling to sell and turn their property over to new developers.
Original source:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/02/BAGO4DI6GJ1.DTL
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Last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling approving a Connecticut city's plan to take private land by eminent domain may seem far away.
A team of contractors hired by the city of Oakland packed the contents of his small auto shop in a moving van and evicted Revelli from the property his family has owned since 1949.
"I have the perfect location; my customers who work downtown can drop off their cars and walk back here," said Revelli, 65, pointing at the nearby high-rises.
The city of Oakland, using eminent domain, seized Revelli Tire and the adjacent property, owner-operated Autohouse, on 20th Street between Telegraph and San Pablo avenues on Friday and evicted the longtime property owners, who have refused to sell to clear the way for a large housing development.
The U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision last week paved the way for local governments to buy out unwilling property owners, demolish homes and businesses, and turn that land over to new owners for development.
Last week's ruling expanded on earlier decisions that allowed agencies to take property only if it is considered "blighted" or run-down.
The eviction came as no surprise to Revelli and Fung.
The decision to build market-rate housing on the site, subsidized by $61 million in city redevelopment funds, is the keystone in Mayor Jerry Brown's plan to revitalize downtown Oakland by putting in homes for 10,000 new residents there.
Fung and Revelli said the money offered by the city, about $100 per square foot plus relocation costs, was insufficient, saying the real estate boom has priced them out of nearby properties.
Revelli, who has worked alone for the past 35 years, said no other location is as good as what he is losing.
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Monday, July 18, 2005
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