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November 2, 2006
Is Nothing Sacred? Another Church Forced From Its Home
Castle Watch, Newsletter from the Castle Coalition
Pastor Holden's congregation was forced out of their church in 2001 and five years later, the City of Bridgeport, CT has built... nothing. Hey, it can happen to you.
The City used eminent domain to acquire the Church in 2001, forcing Holden and his congregants out of their small white, steepled church, which enjoyed a picturesque view of the waterfront. All the while, the City never publicly admitted that it was using eminent domain for the redevelopment project. Instead, they seemed to disguise actions by playing up what would replace the church and surrounding properties: “The City may use state funding to help purchase required properties for the development,” adding, “this City has not received the attention it deserves in terms of economic development from the state, but that is all changing.” This high sounding language is a common tactic used by local governments to mask what’s actually happening—homes, churches and small businesses are being taken for someone else’s private profit.
That greediness is what forces out little churches like Pastor Holden’s and sends them on a search for a new home, all while enduring years of displacement.
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And there was no surprise among those who follow eminent domain abuse that, as the congregation moved around, the luxury Steel Point Redevelopment Project still had not even broken ground. It’s often the case that cities make promises about bringing wonderful things to the community, use eminent domain, displace countless people, and then fail to deliver on their promises.
Posted by lumi at November 2, 2006 10:34 PM