Institute for Justice client, Susette Kelo, was the owner of a “little pink house” that now serves as a national symbol against eminent domain abuse that allows the government to take people’s homes and property for the sake of development.
You may recall the John Locke Foundation has written on eminent domain before. Senior economist, Roy Cordato, has written about the government’s use of force in eminent domain cases and the ways this compromises justice and fairness. You can read it here.
On April 25th, the film Little Pink House is coming to Raleigh and will tell the true story of Kelo’s fight to save her home. This fight made it to the Supreme Court in 2005 (Kelo vs. New London) and is also recounted in a book titled Little Pink House, published in 2009.
From Institute for Justice:
“There is often a giant gap between promises made by redevelopment supporters and the promises such plans actually deliver. In just a five-year period, there were more than 10,000 instances nationwide where eminent domain for private development was either used or threatened by the government.
Government officials and the developer promised that the project that replaced Susette Kelo’s tight-knit blue-collar neighborhood would thrive and would make New London tax-rich. Now, 13 years after the landmark Kelo ruling, all that remains there are barren fields; nothing lives there now but weeks and feral cats”.
The film is directed by Courtney Moorehead Balaker, who described eminent domain abuse as “a fancy term for legalized bullying”.
Two-time Oscar nominee, Catherine Keener plays Kelo in the film.
“Among accolades from a host of media, Deadline Hollywood reported, “Catherine Keener nails the combination of anger, grace, and attitude that made Susette Kelp a nationally known crusader against eminent domain abuse.
‘Little Pink House’ earned the ‘Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award’ from the Heartland Film Festival, the ‘HBO Audience Award’ at the Provincetown International Film Festival, and the ‘Audience Choice Award’ at the Vail Film Festival”.
More information on the Kelo case is available here. This film is sure to be eye opening to the eminent domain abuse that happens far too often.