Preparing for Eminent Domain in New Orleans

April 2006

Preparing for Eminent Domain in New Orleans

IJ senior attorney Scott Bullock addresses New Orleans property owners.

Alarmed by preliminary proposals from the “Bring New Orleans Back Commission,” which include the potential widespread use of eminent domain for private development, on March 2, IJ Senior Attorney Scott Bullock and Staff Attorney Dave Roland traveled to the heart of the damaged sections of New Orleans to meet with affected residents and to share information with them about eminent domain abuse. About 125 people packed a local church hall to hear their presentations at a forum organized by the non-profit ACORN, which has been working with residents who want to save their homes from demolition and to rebuild. We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and work with local folks to ensure that individual citizens—not government planners—decide the fate of the city.