San Bernardino County Declines to Pursue Eminent Domain Proposal

Eminent Domain
proposal scrapped

On January 24, a Joint Powers Authority established by San Bernardino County has declined to consider and pursue a proposal under which the County would use eminent domain power to seize underwater mortgages from private trusts and provide principal reduction for the borrowers.

“It’s wrong to impose that risk on the community without support from the community, and that level of support has not materialized,” said board Chairman, Greg Devereaux. “We don’t want to do more harm than good in what we choose to do.” Devereaux also noted that continuing to consider the possibility of eminent domain would interfere with efforts with the banking, mortgage, real estate and investment communities to make various forms of assistance available to local homeowners.

Other municipalities had been considering eminent domain proposals, but San Bernardino County was seen as the initiator of the concept.

Read Housing Wire Story

Read Press Release from Joint Powers Authority, San Bernardino County

Read UTA eNews story on Eminent Domain

Read UTA’s Opposition Position on Eminent Domain