835 Hinesburg Road, LLC v. South Burlington
Fighting to Open Courtroom Doors to Property Takings Claims
Jeff Nick and his business partner, Jeff Davis, are responsible for some of the most substantial development in Vermont, including the state's first Walmart. In 2000, they bought a large swath of industrially zoned land in a high growth area of South Burlington (pictured above). The property's location and infrastructure made it ripe for the ...
Daniel Knight v. Richardson Bay Regional Authority
California man fights government overreach to protect his houseboat and his rights
Daniel Knight called Richardson Bay—in Marin County, California—home since he first dropped anchor there in 1999. For the 65-year-old retired truck driver with a fixed income, several medical problems, and no nearby family, boats have served as the only affordable form of housing. Daniel lived on a fully operational, 35-foot sailboat, co ...
Ariyan Inc. v. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans
Fighting for timely just compensation for government-damaged property
Hemorrhaging money and time, and unable to repair their properties or restore their businesses, these small businesses and property owners are asking the Supreme Court to confirm their constitutional right to reasonably timely just compensation. ...
Ralston, et al. v. County of San Mateo, CA, et al.
Government’s regulatory purgatory demotes property rights to second-class status
Courts cannot require Randy to ask the county to allow a land use it will not approve, via a process that does not exist, simply to make his takings case "ready" for the court's review. ...
Shands v. City of Marathon
Government takes family’s land and uses gimmicks to avoid paying for it
The Shands family has owned Shands Key, a small Florida island, since the 1950s. Purchased by World War II surgeon and Mississippi hospital owner Dr. R.E. Shands, the island was originally zoned for residential use and could have been developed with at least seven homes. Today, however, government regulations designed to protect the environment pro ...
Pakdel v. City and County of San Francisco
Government can’t force tenants for life
Mr. Pakdel is a small business owner in Ohio. In 2009 he bought what's known as a "tenancy in common" (TIC) apartment in San Francisco and leased it to a residential tenant. As part of the purchase, Pakdel signed an agreement with the other owners to convert the building's six units into condominiums. But the City of San Francisco requires that pro ...