Eminent Domain Report

When a public agency acquires property for a public project, property owners have a constitutional right to receive just compensation. But what about the businesses that operate on the property – are they entitled to anything? 

The rights of business owners vary from state to state, as there is not a constitutional right to compensation for business losses. In California, business owners may be entitled to compensation for several items. These include:

• Loss of Business Goodwill: A business may accrue “goodwill” because of its location, reputation and ability to attract and ...

More than 50 years ago, Caltrans purchased roughly 500 homes under threat of eminent domain within the planned right-of-way for the anticipated construction of the I-710 freeway (linking Monterey Park to Pasadena).  As we reported a number of years ago, Caltrans finally decided to sell those homes once it became clear the alignment would not be utilized.  We haven't heard much on how that sales process was going, but the Pasadena Star reported recently that it has been the subject of litigation, which has now reached an outcome.

In Steve Scauzillo's April San Gabriel Valley Tribune ...

In California eminent domain proceedings, a property owner is entitled to the "fair market value" of the property being acquired.  Typically, fair market value is determined by analyzing comparable sales or by utilizing an income capitalization approach.  But every once in a while, there is no relevant market data, in which case the law permits determining compensation "by any method of valuation that is just and equitable."  (Code Civ. Proc., sec. 1263.320.)  A recent court of appeal decision, Central Valley Gas Storage v. Southam, explains when this "just and equitable" valuation ...

Eminent domain litigation can be expensive.  Not just the cost of acquiring the property (which is valued based on its highest and best use, and the "highest price" a willing buyer would pay), but the attorneys' fees, expert appraisal fees, and court costs all add up as well.  We're seeing the impact of such costs in the City of Adelanto, where the City has changed course on its plans to acquire a property by eminent domain.  

According to Brooke Self's article in the Victorville Daily Press, Adelanto halts eminent domain efforts, the City of Adelanto once planned to use eminent domain to ...

A new published California court of appeal decision may be important for private utility companies with respect to the valuation of their possessory interests in public rights-of-way for property tax assessment purposes.  The case, Charter Communications Properties v. County of San Luis Obispo, provides that when assessing the fair market value of a utility's possessory interest, the County tax assessor will likely be able to disregard the utility's agreed-upon remaining term of possession and instead assume a much longer anticipated term of possession to match reality.  This ...

The City of Laguna Woods had been leasing the building it used for City Hall on El Toro Road for a number of years.  In 2005, the City -- apparently tired of leasing the space -- decided to acquire the property by using its power of eminent domain.  After proceeding to trial, a jury determined this week that the fair market value the City is required to pay for the building was $6.43 million -- $2.78 million more than the City had initially offered.

According to an Orange County Register article, "Laguna Woods must pay $6.4 million to take City Hall," the issues that resulted in the ...

Another recent interesting court decision was somewhat lost in all the excitement last week over (1) the County of Los Angeles v. Glendora Redevelopment Project case striking down Glendora's redevelopment plan for inadequate blight findings and (2) the US Supreme Court decision in the Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc. v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection case rejecting a "judicial takings" claim. 

That recent decision was by the California Court of Appeal in City of San Jose v. Union Pacific Railroad, which came down a month ago, but received little ...

A fundamental premise underlying eminent domain laws is that the owner is treated fairly under principles of just compensation.  This means that the owner receives fair market value for the property being condemned.  And, where there is an active, relevant real estate market with ample comparable sales data, this premise can be upheld through traditional appraisal methodologies.

Unfortunately, not all markets include legitimate, open market transactions from which to gather comparable sales data.  This is especially true where market conditions have deteriorated; in other ...