Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (Calif.) voted 6-0 recently, to condemn the Filipino Baptist Fellowship Church, to make way for a couple of extra condos. This is clearly another case of Eminent Domain abuse. If you look at the property, it is well maintained & far from being ‘blighted’. Not only that, it actually serves the Filipino community which lives in the area.
Commentary: This is a prime example of the cultural shift that is taking place in America vis-a-vis the importance & value of churches in a community. In former generations, churches were held in high regard as institutions which made positive contributions to a city. Now local politicians, in this increasingly secular age, no longer recognize their value, but only see churches as tax-base liabilities. It is a growing trend, in new ‘planned’ communities, that land is designated for everything except churches (although there are usually 3 or 4 token sites). This is particularly true in South Orange County area (So.Calif) where I live. The vast majority of churches in this area are meeting in rented facilities, usually in schools or industrial warehouses.
MGD