"Eminent Domain: Seize A Church, Build A Mall?" by Charles Haynes

This op-ed by syndicated columnist Charles C. Haynes, Senior Scholar at the First Amendment Center, focuses on the implications of the Kelo decision for houses of worship and other religious and tax-exempt uses of land.  Providing examples from among Becket Fund cases, Haynes discusses houses of worship threatened by eminent domain for the "public use" of increasing local tax revenue:

With cities and counties looking for more tax revenue, tax-exempt religious institutions are inviting targets.  According to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, “the power to condemn houses of worship, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters under Kelo is boundless.”

If you find it hard to imagine local governments seizing churches or synagogues to build shopping malls, then consider the current zoning conflicts involving religious institutions around the nation.  Government officials are increasingly insensitive or even hostile to houses of worship, passing ordinances excluding them from various neighborhoods or restricting their ability to expand.

Click here to read the full op-ed.

Relevant Cases

• Cottonwood Christian Center v. City of Cypress