{"id":369176,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:16","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/the-taking-of-property-for-public-use.html"},"modified":"2024-06-22T11:55:39","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T16:55:39","slug":"the-taking-of-property-for-public-use","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/the-taking-of-property-for-public-use.html","title":{"rendered":"The Taking of Property for Public Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">The Taking of Property for Public Use<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/robert-rafii-esq\/\">Robert Rafii, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            June 22, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <ul>\n<li>The government has the authority to take property from the owner under a few different legal mechanisms.<\/li>\n<li>If the government takes property through the power of eminent domain, it must fairly pay the owner.<\/li>\n<li>Sometimes, a dispute arises between a property owner and the government over whether a taking has occured.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n<p>A government agency may commit a full or partial taking of private property for public redevelopment. It may take a homeowner&#8217;s land, buildings, and sometimes even personal property.<\/p>\n<p>This article provides information on frequently asked questions (FAQs) about eminent domain proceedings. For advice about what to do in this situation, you can also consult a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/eminent-domain\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">real estate attorney<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Read about the government&#8217;s authority to take land below:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Power\">The Government&#8217;s\u00a0Power of\u00a0Eminent Domain<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#History\">History of &#8220;Eminent Domain&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Clause\">The\u00a0Fifth Amendment\u00a0&#8220;Takings&#8221; Clause<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Process\">The\u00a0Eminent Domain\u00a0Process<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Inverse\">Inverse\u00a0Condemnation\u00a0Proceedings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#When\">When Has a Taking Occurred?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"Power\"><\/a>The Government&#8217;s\u00a0Power of\u00a0Eminent Domain<\/h2>\n<p>Eminent domain\u00a0is the power of the government to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/eminent-domain.html\">take\u00a0private land\u00a0for\u00a0public use<\/a>. This power is limited by the federal\u00a0Constitution\u00a0and by state\u00a0constitutions. When the government takes\u00a0private property\u00a0for\u00a0a public purpose, it must fairly compensate the owner for the loss.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, the operation of\u00a0eminent domain\u00a0is a straightforward matter. The government provides the landowner a fair price, and the landowner yields the property to\u00a0public use. At other times, the government and the landowner may disagree over:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Whether a taking has occurred<\/li>\n<li>How much compensation the landowner should receive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"History\"><\/a>History of &#8216;Eminent Domain&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>The law of\u00a0eminent domain\u00a0comes from the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/what-is-a-taking.html\">Takings Clause<\/a>&#8221; of the\u00a0Fifth Amendment. It states, &#8220;[N]or shall\u00a0private property\u00a0be taken for\u00a0public use, without\u00a0just compensation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The men who created the\u00a0Constitution\u00a0were, for the most part, landholders with a certain mistrust of the\u00a0federal government. To protect private\u00a0real estate\u00a0owners from abuses by the government, the Founders limited the government&#8217;s power to take property. At that time, the\u00a0government action\u00a0they likely saw was the taking of the land and its occupation by the government.<\/p>\n<p>As the country&#8217;s population continued to grow, however,\u00a0local governments\u00a0began to place increasing controls on the use of land. Landowners believed that these restrictions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prevented their use of the property<\/li>\n<li>Damaged fair market\u00a0value of the property<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, they began to argue that these restrictions also constituted a taking of their land requiring adequate compensation. At first, the courts were reluctant to hear these claims. Over time, however, courts began to recognize them, adding a new dimension to the law of\u00a0eminent domain.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Clause\"><\/a>The\u00a0Fifth Amendment\u00a0&#8216;Takings&#8217; Clause<\/h2>\n<p>The Supreme Court interprets the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect private property rights. The &#8220;Takings&#8221;\u00a0Clause of the\u00a0Fifth Amendment\u00a0has several important components. These are:<\/p>\n<h3>It Applies\u00a0Only to\u00a0Private Property<\/h3>\n<p>For example, if the government decides to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/eminent-domain-property-to-be-taken.html\">change the use<\/a> of some piece of public land, i.e., build a bus terminal on what had been a public park, that action would not force the government to pay citizens who used the park.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s possible, however, that the new land use might violate the rights of neighboring landowners so much that they could sue anyway, comparing the violation of their\u00a0property rights\u00a0with an outright taking of their land. This process, known as an\u00a0inverse\u00a0condemnation\u00a0proceeding, is discussed below.<\/p>\n<h3>The Land Can Only Be Taken for\u00a0Public Use<\/h3>\n<p>This means government officials can&#8217;t take\u00a0private land\u00a0for their own purposes. For example, a member of Congress could not take the home of a private citizen for their use under\u00a0eminent domain. Instead, the taking must serve a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/eminent-domain-justification-or-necessity-requirement.html\">public project or purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But sometimes, courts have upheld takings that ultimately resulted in a private party possessing the land. This has occurred, for example, to allow the expansion of an auto plant believed to be beneficial to economic development and in instances of urban renewal, where a new neighborhood goes up in place of an old one.<\/p>\n<h3>There Must Be &#8216;Just&#8217; Compensation<\/h3>\n<p>Finally, the\u00a0United States Constitution requires\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/can-the-government-seize-my-property-without-paying-me.html\">just compensation<\/a>.\u00a0Fair compensation\u00a0is typically determined using the market valuation of the land. That is the price for which the landowner could reasonably expect to sell the land to another buyer.<\/p>\n<p>What the land is worth depends on many things, including the size of the property and the buildings, crops, or timber upon the land. For permanent takings, courts use one of several methods to determine market value. Where the government&#8217;s use of or encroachment upon the property is of limited duration or scope, the calculation of value may be trickier. In all cases, a property owner will want to argue for compensation that matches the potential best use of the land.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Process\"><\/a>The\u00a0Eminent Domain\u00a0Process<\/h2>\n<p>In\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/land-use-laws\/how-the-government-takes-property.html\">classic eminent domain cases<\/a>, the government determines it needs certain privately owned land to create some\u00a0public benefit, such as constructing a new highway.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what happens in a <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/litigation-disputes\/condemnation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">condemnation action<\/a>, step by step:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The government contacts the landowner to say it is interested in the property.<\/li>\n<li>The government may hire\u00a0appraisers to review the land.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The government makes a financial offer to the landowner.<\/li>\n<li>There is a public hearing where the government explains why they are taking the property.<\/li>\n<li>If the parties can&#8217;t agree on the\u00a0value of the property, it might start what is called a\u00a0condemnation proceeding. During this proceeding, the court (or jury) determines the land&#8217;s fair value and whether the land can be taken.<\/li>\n<li>The government pays the landlord.<\/li>\n<li>The landlord leaves the property, and the title transfers to the government.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Under eminent domain law, a property owner has a right to the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Notice of the government&#8217;s decision to make use of eminent domain<\/li>\n<li>An opportunity to respond to the notice<\/li>\n<li>Just compensation for the real property taken<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"Inverse\"><\/a>Inverse\u00a0Condemnation\u00a0Proceedings<\/h2>\n<p>Sometimes, the government denies that it has taken anything from the landowner. Thus, the landowner starts an action called an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/inverse-condemnation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inverse\u00a0condemnation<\/a> proceeding, asking for compensation from the government. This situation can arise in various ways.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, the government might engage in conduct that destroys the landowner&#8217;s ability to use and enjoy the property. It may do that by building an airstrip next to the property and flying planes over it, or cutting off or polluting water flow to the land. The government might also prevent the landowner&#8217;s access to the property with water or debris, as when dynamiting operations block the road to the landowner&#8217;s property.<\/p>\n<p>The government might also violate a landowner&#8217;s rights through regulation. This is called\u00a0regulatory taking. This can occur where the landowner buys land and builds a dance club and then the\u00a0local government\u00a0passes a law, banning dance clubs in the town. If the landowner&#8217;s business is harmful to the public, the government&#8217;s action in shutting it down may be a valid exercise of its\u00a0police powers, as opposed to a taking.<\/p>\n<p>The government might also improperly restrict or diminish the property&#8217;s use. A law raising minimum lot sizes from one acre to five acres robs a landowner with less than 10 acres of the right to subdivide their property. A law denying sewer access or water access to certain plots would all but destroy their value for residential use. In these cases, the landowner could sue, arguing that the government has taken the property without paying for it.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"When\"><\/a>When Has a Taking Occurred?<\/h2>\n<p>Another consideration in the area of\u00a0eminent domain\u00a0is determining when the taking occurred. This question becomes an issue when the government starts a plan that affects the landowner&#8217;s property, such as a zoning or development plan.<\/p>\n<p>If the government plans to build a highway or airport over or adjacent to the plaintiff&#8217;s land, does the plan alone constitute a\u00a0government taking\u00a0when it is filed? The filing of the plan may hurt the value of the landowner&#8217;s property, but the government may argue that it has not taken the land nor infringed upon its use. Typically, such a filing alone does not constitute a taking. If the map or plan establishes reservations or limitations to the landowners&#8217; rights when it is filed, however, it may constitute a taking.<\/p>\n<p>Cases involving\u00a0eminent domain\u00a0and\u00a0inverse condemnation\u00a0are likely to increase as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Land and communities become more crowded<\/li>\n<li>Governments impose further zoning and environmental regulations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Have Questions About the\u00a0Taking of Property\u00a0for\u00a0Public Use? Ask a Lawyer<\/h2>\n<p>The law of\u00a0eminent domain\u00a0gives the government power to act in the\u00a0public interest, but sometimes the government intrudes on\u00a0property rights\u00a0without offering compensation. In those cases, affected landowners may have the right to seek compensation and would benefit from working with an attorney.<\/p>\n<p>If you have questions about the\u00a0taking of property\u00a0for\u00a0public use or need help with protecting your\u00a0property rights, speak with a local\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/eminent-domain\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eminent domain\u00a0lawyer<\/a> in your area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n          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class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Many real estate processes can be 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rel=\"noopener\">Land Use and  Zoning Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/construction-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Construction Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/real-estate-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Real Estate Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private land for public use. Learn more about this at FindLaw.com&#8217;s section on Eminent Domain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":369149,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":["SEO Title Length","External Links","Alt Text for All Images","Category Assigned"]},"categories":[2741],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-369176","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-realestate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=369176"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":414104,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369176\/revisions\/414104"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=369176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=369176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=369176"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=369176"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=369176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}