1.1 Million Signatures Submitted for Real Eminent Domain Reform

By Larry Gross, executive director, Coalition for Economic Survival

Today a broad coalition of homeowners, tenants, environmentalists, labor, business and local governments began turning in over 1.1 million signatures for a real eminent domain reform measure that will appear on the June 2008 ballot. The Homeowners Protection Act (HPA) would protect homes from being taken by eminent domain and given to a private developer. It also contains a provision that would nullify the landlords’ Hidden Agendas Scheme if the HPA got more votes.

Where the Homeowners Protection Act is simple and pure, the landlords’ initiative is so bogged down with harmful provisions that it is certain to collapse under its own weight. Given the near certainty that the HPA will qualify for the ballot – the landlords should be concerned. When given a choice between real eminent domain reform and a trick by greedy landlords to abolish rent control, it’s clear which voters will choose.

They have spent 2 million dollars trying to qualify their anti-senior, anti-tenant, anti-environmental scheme for the ballot. What are they going to get in return for their investment? A seven month campaign exposing their greed and deception, and a failed initiative come June.

We’ll be working hard from now until June to expose the landlords and to defeat their scheme. There is nothing that gets tenants and seniors more involved and organized than a money grab by gluttonous landlords.

We are calling on all tenants and supporters of affordable housing to join the campaign to save rent control. Become involved in the Los Angeles area by contacting CES at www.cesinaction.org or contactces@earthlink.net. Or contact one of the groups listed on our resources section for more information about other areas of the state.