Justice Souter's Blighted Neighborhood
Ayn Rand-inspired activist Logan Darrow Clement's anti-Kelo publicity stunt, calling for seizure of David Souter's house for a hotel, got a lot of attention. The LAT's Elizabeth Mehren offers a nice overview. From the sound of it, the legal issues are a slam dunk. The area is "blighted" and the town needs economic development:
The house--with dark brown paint peeling off and frayed window shades pulled down--sits on an unmarked lane off of South Sugar Hill Road. One of the justice's neighbors is the Sugar Hill Speedway, a go-kart track. Chickens wander in and out of nearby home sites. Rusty pickups and creaky farm equipment litter many front yards. Giant greenhead flies eagerly attack visitors.
A local official says, "We just got a Dunkin' Donuts. We don't have a pharmacy. We don't have a dry cleaners. What would we do with a hotel?" She's clearly not thinking like a city planner.