Digital Commons Network^™

The continuing controversy regarding Kelo v. City of New London demonstrates that there are a number of problems and tensions associated with eminent domain that entice scholars. This article addresses one such problem: the singular link between eminent domain and affordable housing. Though rarely discussed, this link reveals a long history of cities' use of their eminent domain power to advance development projects that rarely include affordable housing. Moreover, when cities condemn property through eminent domain to further new development projects, they often do so in a manner that undermines many of the goals of building more affordable housing. As …

The last twenty years have seen an unprecedented growth in the number of new sports facilities for professional sports teams. This incidence has been matched by an equally extraordinary trend of state and local governments providing public financing to help build such facilities. This article analyzes this burgeoning area of urban economic redevelopment and attempts to answer the controversial question of whether the public financing of new sports facilities is economically justifiable. The article dissects the real estate and financial deals between state and local governments and the professional sports teams and developers, and critiques the alleged benefits that advocates …