Can the Government Force You Out of Your House? | Kelo v. New London

Summary

The video discusses the Supreme Court case of Kelo v. New London, revolving around eminent domain, where the government sought to take private property for public use. Susette Kelo, a resident of Fort Trumbull, fought against New London's plans to redevelop the area for Pfizer, arguing that the use of eminent domain should not apply as it was for private profit, not public benefit. Despite her efforts and gaining national attention, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of New London. The case sparked widespread backlash and led to changes in eminent domain laws across the US. Kelo's home was eventually sold and relocated, and ironically, no redevelopment occurred after Pfizer shut down its facility.

Highlights

• Susette Kelo fell in love with and renovated a Victorian-style cottage in Fort Trumbull, but faced eviction due to eminent domain. 🏡
• The government intended to replace the neighborhood with developments, funded by millions from the state to support Pfizer's new facility. 🏗️
• Kelo and 14 neighbors sued New London, arguing that the plan was for private profit, not community benefit. ⚖️
• The Supreme Court ultimately sided 5-4 with New London, asserting the economic benefits justified the property seizures. 🎓
• Backlash from the ruling was significant, leading to eminent domain law reforms in 45 states. 🚫
• Kelo's home was spared demolition, becoming a museum to signify the eminent domain struggle. 🏛️
• Pfizer eventually left New London, and the redevelopment never materialized, leaving the area deserted. 🏚️

Key Takeaways

• Eminent domain allows governments to take private property for public use with compensation, but Kelo v. New London questioned its justification for private development. 🏠
• Susette Kelo's resistance against New London's redevelopment plan brought national attention to eminent domain issues. 🌟
• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of economic development over personal property rights, sparking legal reforms in many states. 📜
• The Kelo case exemplifies the ongoing debate over the balance between community benefit and individual rights. ⚖️
• Despite losing the case, Kelo's efforts led to significant changes in eminent domain perceptions and laws. 💪

Overview

The Kelo v. New London case revolves around the controversial topic of eminent domain, where a government can seize private property for public use with compensation. Susette Kelo bought and restored a run-down house in Fort Trumbull, only to find herself fighting eviction due to New London's redevelopment plans involving Pfizer. Despite initial setbacks, Kelo and her neighbors challenged the use of eminent domain through the courts.

The legal battle highlighted serious questions about whether economic development plans for private corporations counted as 'public use.' In a tight decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New London, sparking a nationwide debate. The ruling was seen as a significant expansion of government powers under eminent domain, highlighting contrasting views on personal property rights and community development.

Although Susette Kelo lost her case, it wasn't in vain. Her fight led to widespread backlash, resulting in eminent domain reforms across numerous states. Interestingly, the planned redevelopment never occurred. Pfizer's departure meant the efforts to revitalize Fort Trumbull ended in a desolate, empty space. Kelo's home was preserved and turned into a museum, symbolizing her defiance and the case's impact on property rights discussions.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction Mr. Beat narrates the story set in New London, Connecticut, in 1997 where Susette Kelo becomes enamored with a run-down Victorian-style cottage along the Thames River despite its condition. She purchases the 107-year-old house and dedicates months to its renovation, painting it pink. This house offers a beautiful water view and is situated in the working-class neighborhood of Fort Trumbull.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Susette Kelo Buys the House Susette Kelo purchases a charming pink house in a declining neighborhood, attracted by its harbor view. She forms a relationship with Tim LeBlanc, who assists her with house improvements, and they eventually marry. However, in 1998, they face pressure from real estate agents representing an undisclosed buyer keen to purchase the property.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Eminent Domain Introduction The chapter introduces the concept of eminent domain through the story of Kelo, who was pressured by agents to sell her house. These agents informed Kelo that if she refused to sell, the city could forcibly remove her from her home using eminent domain. Eminent domain is explained as the government's right to take private property for public use if deemed beneficial for the greater public good.
• 02:00 - 03:00: City's Development Plan This chapter discusses the use of eminent domain as provided by the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It highlights the government's ability to use eminent domain, provided 'just compensation' is given. The chapter suggests checking out a related video by Dave on his channel City Beautiful, which also covers this topic. A humorous exchange between Mr. Beat and Dave about their coordinated timing on covering eminent domain is included.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Kelo and Residents' Legal Battle The chapter titled 'Kelo and Residents' Legal Battle' discusses the resistance of Susette Kelo and her neighbors in Fort Trumbull against the attempts by the city of New London to displace them. Despite financial offers, Kelo and 14 other residents were determined to stay in their homes. The city aimed to clear the area for a new facility by Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Trial and Appeal Continues The chapter titled 'Trial and Appeal Continues' discusses a proposed plan to revamp Fort Trumbull to support Pfizer scientists by building a new hotel, conference center, and upscale housing. This development required significant government intervention, with the state of Connecticut committed to contributing $73 million. This funding would facilitate the eviction of current Fort Trumbull residents, the demolition of their homes, and the enhancement of infrastructure such as roads and utilities.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Supreme Court Decision The chapter titled 'Supreme Court Decision' details the events leading to a legal battle initiated by Kelo and other residents of Fort Trumbull, who opposed the demolition of their homes for development purposes. The New London Development Corporation (NLDC), which was behind the demolitions, had already acquired and destroyed around 80 buildings by the trial in July 2001 at the New London Superior Court. Despite the ongoing construction of Pfizer's facility, the Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leaning nonprofit law firm, stepped in to represent Kelo and the other residents in their lawsuit against the city.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Public and Political Reaction Scott Bullock, the lead lawyer, argued against the city's use of eminent domain in Fort Trumbull, claiming it was an abuse of power intended for private profit rather than public good. He stated that this action did not qualify as beneficial for the community.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Resolution and Aftermath In March 2002, the New London Superior Court made a mixed ruling, allowing some residents to stay while others had to leave, leading to both sides appealing the decision. Meanwhile, Kelo faced personal challenges as her husband, Tim LeBlanc, suffered a severe car accident, resulting in a two-week coma. The appeal process advanced with the Connecticut Supreme Court commencing hearings as LeBlanc began his recovery. Unfortunately for Kelo, in March 2004, the court upheld New London's right to use eminent domain, complicating her battle to stay in her home.
• 08:00 - 09:00: Long-term Impact and Legacy Kelo and the others appealed their case to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear it on September 28, 2004. It was unusual for the Court to consider an eminent domain case. Kelo, LeBlanc, and many other neighbors attended the oral arguments in February 2005.

Can the Government Force You Out of Your House? | Kelo v. New London Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Mr. Beat presents Supreme Court Briefs New London, Connecticut 1997 Susette Kelo drives by a run down house along the Thames (Tames) River that has been for sale for awhile. Even though the house is run down, she falls in love with it and buys it. She spends months completely renovating the 107-year old Victorian-style cottage, painting it pink. The house had a great view of the water, and was in a working-class neighborhood called Fort Trumbull.
• 00:30 - 01:00 Unfortunately, the neighborhood had been in decline for years, as there were few decent paying jobs nearby. But Susette didn’t care. She loved her little pink house and its view of the harbor. She soon met a dude named Tim LeBlanc, who helped her do exterior work on the house. Eventually the two would get married and live there together. But then, in January 1998, real estate agents began knocking on her door, offering lots of money to buy her house on behalf of “an unnamed buyer.”
• 01:00 - 01:30 Kelo was suspicious, and turned down all offers. However, agents began to tell her if she didn’t sell her house, she would be forced out of her home by the city due to something called “eminent domain.” Eminent domain, you say? What the heck is that? Eminent domain is the right for a government to just take private property for public use. In other words, if the government thinks it is in the best interest of all its citizens, it can kick you out of your house.
• 01:30 - 02:00 Both the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution say the government can use eminent domain, but it just requires “just compensation.” For more about eminent domain, be sure to check out my friend Dave’s video dedicated to the topic over on his channel City Beautiful. Hey Dave! Dave: Yeah? Mr. Beat: So, it's a weird coincidence that we both decided to cover this topic at the same time. Am I right? hahaha Dave: No, it's not. We planned to do it this way. Mr. Beat: We did?
• 02:00 - 02:30 Why would we do that? Dave: You know, to cross-promote our channels. Mr. Beat: Why would you want to promote my horrible channel? Anyway, Susette Kelo didn’t care how much money New London was offering her. She loved her little pink house, and wasn’t going anywhere. Neither were 14 other Fort Trumbull residents. They decided to fight. Wait a second, why was New London trying to kick them out? Well Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical corporation, was opening a new facility in New London, right next to the Fort Trumbull neighborhood.
• 02:30 - 03:00 Part of the deal were plans to “fix up” Fort Trumbull, including building a new hotel, conference center, and fancy housing for the scientists working at Pfizer. This would require major government help. $73 million in help. Yep, the state of Connecticut would pitch in $73 million to kick out the Fort Trumbull residents, demolish their homes, and update the area with new roads and utilities.
• 03:00 - 03:30 Once Kelo and the other Fort Trumbull residents who didn’t want to leave their homes found out about this, they sued the city. Meanwhile, an organization called the New London Development Corporation, or NLDC, was already demolishing homes. By the time of the trial, which went to the New London Superior Court in July 2001, the NLDC already had acquired around 80 buildings and destroyed most of them. Pfizer had also already built their facility. The Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leaning nonprofit law firm, agreed to represent Kelo and the others.
• 03:30 - 04:00 Scott Bullock, the lead lawyer for them, later said: “We got involved because what was going on was an outrageous abuse of power. There was so little respect shown for these people. The city wanted to take an entire neighborhood and make it anew." Bullock argued that eminent domain didn’t apply in this case, since ultimately the purpose was profits for private developers. In other words, New London taking over Fort Trumbull didn’t qualify as something that would benefit the entire community.
• 04:00 - 04:30 In March 2002, the New London Superior Court basically said some could stay but others had to go. Both sides were not happy, so both sides appealed. In late 2002, Kelo’s husband, Tim LeBlanc, was in a horrible car accident and went into a coma for two weeks. Now there were two fights for Kelo. While he was still in the hospital, the Connecticut Supreme Court began hearing the appeal. While things were looking up for LeBlanc as he slowly recovered, things were looking down for staying in the little pink house because in March 2004, the Connecticut Supreme Court said New London’s use of eminent domain was ok.
• 04:30 - 05:00 Kelo and the others appealed again to the Supreme Court, who agreed to hear the case on September 28, 2004. It was rare for the Court to take on an eminent domain case, by the way. Kelo and LeBlanc, as well as many of the other neighbors, were present at oral arguments in February 2005.
• 05:00 - 05:30 By this time, Kelo had become well known to the country, and a sort of symbol of the fight against unjust eminent domain. It seemed like everyone was on her side. However, the Court was not. On June 23rd, they announced they had sided with New London. It was a close one. 5-4. Justice John Paul Stevens argued that eminent domain in this case had a “public purpose” because it meant creating jobs in a city that had high unemployment.
• 05:30 - 06:00 “Promoting economic development is a traditional and long-accepted function of government.” The dissent argued that this use of eminent domain was basically Robin Hood in reverse- taking from the poor to give to the rich. In her dissent, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor argued the decision got rid of “any distinction between private and public use of property - and thereby effectively delete(d) the words ‘for public use’ from the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.” This was a controversial decision, to say the least.
• 06:00 - 06:30 It made people mad on both sides of the political spectrum. In one poll, 99% of respondents disagreed with the decision. On the one-year anniversary of the decision, President George W. Bush issued an executive order that told the federal government to limit its use of eminent domain. Although Kelo and the others kept fighting for awhile, eventually they all settled with New London for reportedly lots of money. Kelo’s house wasn’t demolished after all. In fact, you can visit it today.
• 06:30 - 07:00 In 2008, Kelo sold the house for $1 to a dude named Avner Gregory, who moved the house across town. Today it’s a museum. Kelo moved to a different town. Around that time, the economy was crap since it was The Great Recession, and Pfizer had shut down its New London facility. So ironically, by the time New London had finally cleared the Fort Trumbull neighborhood, it no longer had plans to redevelop it.
• 07:00 - 07:30 For the past 10 years, the former neighborhood has been abandoned, home to feral cats. So uh...yeah...they were kicked out for nothing. However, Kelo v. New London had a big impact. It led to a huge nationwide backlash against eminent domain. It caused 45 of the 50 states to change their eminent domain laws, and today the fight continues. In 2017, a film called Little Pink House further raised awareness of the case.
• 07:30 - 08:00 And I’d argue that Susette Kelo may have lost the battle, but she certainly didn’t lose the war. She remains a hero to many Americans in the fight against unjust eminent domain. I’ll see you for the next Supreme Court case, jury! So what do YOU think? Do you agree with the Court? What do YOU think about eminent domain? Let me know in the comments below. Also, there's this book that I used for research for this video
• 08:00 - 08:30 called Little Pink House, A True Story of Defiance and Courage, by Jeff Benedict. This is the book the movie I was telling you about was based off of. If you want to buy this book, I put a link to it in the description of this video. And don’t forget, this video is a collaboration with my friend Dave and his channel City Beautiful. Check out his video about the impact of eminent domain. And now it's time for my monthly shout out to my Patreon supporters especially my Patreon supporter Eric B. Wolman. And all these patrons, are at least at the Grover Cleveland level or higher
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