Kelo v. New London (2005)
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that New London, Connecticut could seize private homes under eminent domain and transfer the land to a private developer for a planned Pfizer research campus. Suzette Kelo's house was among those condemned.
The decision sparked a national backlash and new state-level restrictions on eminent domain for private development. The Pfizer campus was never built as planned.
Kelo remains the reference point for fights over government taking property to advance private redevelopment.
Austin used the same power to take the South Terminal from its private operator, and a court set the price at $90 million — 46 times the city's original offer.
