California Eminent Domain Report

When public projects are being constructed, surrounding property owners typically experience construction impacts, such as noise, dust, fumes, vibration and road detours.  Typically, absent a physical taking of property, those construction impacts are not compensable under an inverse condemnation claim unless the property owner experiences a direct, substantial, and peculiar impact.  While this has generally been the law in California for quite some time, a recent published California Court of Appeal decision, Today’s IV, Inc. v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan ...

After adopting a resolution of necessity and initiating eminent domain proceedings to acquire private property, public agencies are usually in a rush to move forward with the proposed public project.  But every once in a while, those projects get delayed or postponed.  A recent court of appeal decision, Rutgard v. City of Los Angeles (2020) Cal.App. LEXIS 709, serves as an important reminder for public agencies that they must put the property to public use within 10 years or otherwise timely adopt a new resolution of necessity.  Absent doing so, the public agency has an obligation to offer ...

The last two weeks following the California Supreme Court's decision eliminating redevelopment have been nothing short of a whirlwind.  Stories are flying all over the place on the decision's implications, whether redevelopment may be revived, or whether there may just be some small tinkering with AB1X 26.  While the updates seem to be changing by the hour, here's what we know as of today:

• Senator Alex Padilla (D-LA) has introduced a bill to delay the dissolution of the redevelopment agencies until April 15, 2012.  It's unclear if this is a delay tactic to give RDAs a chance to come up with ...

The Americana at Brand center in Glendale is a large, outdoor shopping community consisting of over 75 retail shops and 300 condos and apartments.  It opened to the public in 2008.  One would think this would not have been the best time to open up a retail center.  However, apparently in the midst of the recession, the center is doing quite well, and the developer is seeking to expand onto two adjacent properties.   

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, "Developer wants to expand Americana at Brand shopping center," the developer of Americana at Brand -- Rick Caruso -- has sent a letter ...

Proposed changes to California's redevelopment law have been quietly making their way through the California legislature.  With little publicity, AB 2531, authored by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, made its way through the process this summer.  After a series of amendments, AB 2531 was passed by California's Senate on August 12 by a vote of 22-13.  On August 27, it passed California's Assembly, 50-26.

On September 10, the bill was presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature.  Under the California legislative process, the Governor has until September 30 to sign or veto ...

From 1901 to 1961, the Pacific Electric Railway -- or the "Red Car" -- operated as one of Southern California's primary mass transit options, connecting Orange and Los Angeles Counties in a large series of rail corridors.  Now, officials are examining ways to reuse the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor, an abandoned 20-mile rail corridor running from Santa Ana to Paramount. 

According to a June 14 Orange County Register article, "Is reusing the old Pacific Electric Railway a possibility?, the hope is that someone can find a way to use the abandoned rail line to ...