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« on: March 29, 2015, 11:55:02 AM »
Wow, this has really become a precedent-setting case affecting all of New Jersey.
I agree that there needs to be eminent domain, certainly for construction of schools and highway, etc. And in the case of downtown areas in the State's inner cities, it is needed for economic development, to provide jobs for residents and tax revenues for struggling cities. Furthermore, the new development will have either residents or employees who will patronize local stores and restaurants, improving the economy. That is all good in principle. The issue is whether or not that principle is relevant in Hackensack.
Hackensack should consider itself VERY lucky to have won this, because that whole block is not blighted. It's really just one property, and the property owner was taking steps to redevelop on his own. The city is very lucky to have won.
I am glad for the precedent, and I believe that the precedent is needed more in much more troubled areas of Paterson, Passaic, Newark, etc., where there are many vacant properties, burned houses, vacant lots, graffiti and dumping, etc. These are areas with high crime and gang activity. In some cases, there's a need to develop new housing that is affordable, and if a whole block needs to be cleared out, and most of it meets the definition of blight, that's a step in the right direction.