Case Study > Defending Urban Renewal
Preserving cities' eminent domain powers
The Challenge:
The ability of local governments to use eminent domain to redevelop land was at risk. A few isolated cases had shaped the debate and put urban renewal proponents in a defensive posture, reacting to largely one-sided media coverage
The Solution:
SE2 was hired by Colorado Municipal League to help protect local governments' urban renewal tools against legislative assaults. The goal was to give legislators a reason to take another look at this issue. To accomplish this, SE2 publicized a report on the economic and community benefits of urban renewal and published a "before and after" booklet for legislators. The booklet profiled successful urban renewal projects around the state through photos and stories.
The Result:
The media coverage of the issue gradually took on a more balanced tone. Conscientious lawmakers took a second look at the issue and, ultimately, legislation ended up much improved over where it started.