EMINENT DOMAIN AND CASPERS: The battle over whether to use eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages from lenders and keep residents in their homes is heating up in Richmond.
So the pregame is going to the logical place: Caspers Hot Dogs, aka "City Hall West."
The mudslinging has reached new levels in Richmond, as Wall Street-backed interests and local Realtor groups have jumped in with both feet to squelch the city's plan to partner with a San Francisco investment firm on the mortgage-seizure plan. If it proceeds, Richmond stands to become the first city in the nation to seize underwater mortgages through eminent domain.
One mailer alleges, "The City of Richmond is making national news with their plans to collude with Wall Street investors and use the power of Eminent Domain to seize underwater mortgages. If realized, this plan would benefit only a tiny portion of the community, while simultaneously damaging the real estate marketplace by making it harder for all citizens to purchase homes in Richmond."
Supporters of the eminent domain plan call those statements blatant lies.
Anti-eminent domain groups, led by local Realtors, are whipping up community support to meet at Caspers Hot Dogs at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday "to get organized prior to the council meeting. Then, we'll march over to the council chambers together and make our voices heard."
A band of people marching from Caspers has historically promised energy and outrage in Richmond.