Van Drew-Rice Bill To Update State Eminent Domain Laws Clears Senate Community & Urban Affairs Committee
“Legislation sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew and Senator Ron Rice that would provide the first update to New Jersey’s eminent domain laws since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Kelo v. City of New London in 2005, was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
The bill (S-2447) would create a two-track system for redevelopment, establishing separate requirements for redevelopment projects that would involve condemnation and for those that would not. The purpose of the measure is to provide additional protections to homeowners whose properties may be subject to condemnation, but also to provide for a more streamlined process for municipalities undertaking redevelopment projects that do not involve condemnation.
“Eminent domain is a tool that has been used by governments for decades to obtain private property for a public purpose after providing the property owner with compensation. We have to make sure protections are in place to prevent abuse of this mechanism, while at the same ensuring that municipalities undertaking redevelopment projects to improve local economic conditions are not hamstrung by laws that may cause unnecessary delays,” said Senator Van Drew (D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic).”
Graber, Trish. PolitickerNJ 4 March 2013.