Eminent-Domain Victors Get Keys Back
by Timothy Sandefur
The homeowners in Norwood, Ohio, whose property was saved from destruction by the Ohio Supreme Court's excellent decision this summer, have be allowed to retun to their homes. As happy as this development is, there is a sad note:
Joy Gamble and Sanae Ichikawa-Burton said they are happy to have unlimited access, but they're not happy about the condition of their properties.
Gamble said their property has been vandalized while in the developer's possession.
"It should be given back to us in the condition it was when we were forced to leave," she said. "The Ohio Supreme Court said to give us our home back, not an unlivable pile of junk."
Ichikawa-Burton said water has seeped into the basement of her former learning center, creating a potential mold problem. There has been other damage, too, she said.
"We are not going to take the property back the way it is," she said. "It's a mess. They need to repair everything."