Archive for the ‘Eminent Domain’ Category
June 2008 Election: Propositions 98, 99 and Eminent Domain
The Bay Area has a few rent control hotspots (notably San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose) and is a progressive place in general — so by this point, only one day before the election, I expect most people are up to their ears in chants of “Save Rent Control, Vote No on 98.” The point of this post is not so much to harp more on this, although I do want to strongly urge you to vote No on 98 tomorrow. First, a brief remark on rent control: controversial though it would be, we probably should take a hard look at rent control and honestly assess the extent to which it has helped or not helped increase supply of affordable housing. (Yes, I say that despite living in a rent-controlled apartment.) That said, having doubts about rent control’s efficacy as a policy does not excuse slipping blanket elimination of rent control into a statewide proposition about eminent domain, as Prop 98 does, and then failing to implement a replacement relief plan. It’s a classic example of biting off more than you can chew, and that is basically Prop 98 in a nutshell.
