Eminent domain issues are in the forefront as Santa Clarita City Engineer Chris Price attempts to pacify those in the Old Town Newhall area.

Old Town Newhall, or Downtown Newhall, has been going through some quiet and some not-so-quiet changes recently.

In the public eye, there are some spiffy new murals hanging on buildings in the Old Town Newhall area. Funny that these were painted on wood elsewhere and then attached to the buildings, making them "moveable art" should those buildings be redeveloped (as in torn down) as part of the Old Town Newhall Revitalization Project. And of course there’s the much-maligned back-in parking plan… but we won’t discuss that here.

Behind the scenes, business owners in the Old Town Newhall Redevelopment Area are being harassed with nuisance lawsuits as well as being served with eminent domain notices.

According to Chris Price, Santa Clarita’s Senior Engineer, "While it is true that the Redevelopment Agency may purchase properties, and it is possible that some businesses occupying those properties may be relocated, the agency legally cannot "take" a residence for any reason. And while eminent domain may be used in some instances, the mechanics of that process are very slow, careful, and complicated." (To read the full text of Chris’ recent editorial on Newhall Redevelopment, visit The Signal.)

The City of Santa Clarita cannot "take" a residence, huh Chris? Well, that’s just not so! For residential properties, there’s a bit of a safe harbor for owner-occupied homes, but rental homes are treated the same as any other business and are not protected in any manner from the eminent domain process. 

Since many (if not most) homes in the Old Town Newhall Redevelopment Area are rental properties, they can indeed be "taken" since they’re not owner-occupied personal residences. GASP! Another un-truth by the City’s Redevelopment Agency… say it isn’t so!

Meanwhile… back in Newhall… a Latino man threatened the (white) workers at a restaurant this week, yelling "You whites don’t belong here. The Mexicans are taking over." Hmmm… you can’t take over if you don’t have a place to live now, can you? If the rental properties in Old Town Newhall are up-ended in favor of the City’s redevelopment efforts, then those cheap rental units will just become a part of Newhall’s history. I’m not going to connect the dots here… read between the lines and you’ll figure this one out!

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