It’s time to knock out National City, California’s eminent domain abuse
“A working-class gym helps inner-city kids stay out of gangs and fight childhood obesity. It’s a success story that should be celebrated. But in National City, California, the Community Youth Athletic Center (CYAC) was declared blighted, along with 691 other properties.
Officials there want to use the power of eminent domain and bulldoze a youth gym.
Ever since it began as a backyard boxing ring, the CYAC has helped more than 1,000 kids and teens since 1991. Today, the gym trains and tutors dozens of at-risk youth, completely free of charge. Even more are on the waiting list.
The gym has teamed with the Institute for Justice, a public interest property rights law firm, to sue National City. On Thursday, the California Fourth District Court of Appeal will hear oral arguments in what will be the latest battle over this abuse of redevelopment powers. Back in 2011, National City lost big time. The trial court found the city not only failed to prove blight actually existed, but held that National City violated both a California freedom of information law and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
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Sibilla, Nick. Daily Caller 26 September 2013.