Altering public housing laws

AL.com
John S. Peck // December 24, 2009

The battle over public housing's spread into south Huntsville will shift to the Big House next year - the Alabama Statehouse.

Two Madison County legislators plan to re-introduce legislation that would curb the power of municipal housing authorities.

The measure by state Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, and state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would end eminent domain authority of public housing authorities and require local government consent before authorities can purchase property for affordable housing.

Eminent domain, the practice of government seizing property against the will of property owners, hasn't been used in any Huntsville Housing Authority acquisitions. All of its purchases have been on the open market.

Houses of late, including one on Gallatin Street in the medical district and another on Drummond Road in southeast Huntsville, were bought to renovate and resell to income-qualified buyers.

Orr and Ball say their main intent is to add "transparency" so neighborhoods don't get blindsided by government housing.

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