The Norwood Example

When people debate eminent domain in Ohio, they typically cite two examples: Norwood or Lakewood.

"To say a beleaguered city like Norwood would be prohibited from using eminent domain for any economic development purposes goes too far," [Rep. Bill Seitz] said.

In 2003, the city council in the City of Norwood, a municipality which is encapsulated completely inside the City of Cincinnati, voted to take properties in the city by eminent domain.

In the Norwood case, as in many similar, the question becomes, what is blight? When is a property blighted, deteriorated, or deterioating? It is clear that in some cases the definition of the word "blight" has been manipulated to suit the interests of the developer, not the property owner.