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Yeah, this last week-end I saw the Rio Rancho rag touting how the Mayor wants to re-expand the Eminent Domain again. He's complaining that there are too many restrictions. Rio Rancho is interesting. Many of the properties that are still not developed are 1/2 and 1 acre properties. Most have different owners. Rio Rancho has the capability to grow physically bigger in size than land-locked Albuquerque next door, but most of the land is vacant and undeveloped - however there are dirt roads everywhere. Google maps can really put it into perspective.

I say too flipping bad. I didn't realize Cabezon Sub was built after they used Eminent Domain to rip off the original owners of the properties there. I would never have moved in (rental, moved out in 6 months - crap house, crap development, crap crap) had I known that.

The eminent domain bill for Rio Rancho had some interesting restrictions in it:

They couldn’t eminent domain any developed property. Even if it just had utilities, it would be exempt.

The property owner would have a choice of a cash purchase or a stake in the profit of the development.

Most of the property in question (25,000 lots) is owned by over 30,000 individuals in 17 countries. Most are owned by second and third generation decedents who have no idea what they own. Many of these lots are actually on the sides of arroyos! There are no utilities and there won’t be any time soon. Offering $8K - $10K for these lots is generous. Unfortunately many of these “owners” think they have won the lottery when they hear that a development is in the works. They ask $80K- $100K for their lots and the developers back out.

Because Rio Rancho was founded on land fraud we need SOME way of consolidating these small lots or Rio Rancho will remain mostly undeveloped dirt with high property taxes for those who stay.