The Hugo Hotel, the 4 story structure that’s been sitting vacant on 6th Street at Howard Street for over 20 years with furniture suspended from the windows and outside walls may soon be taken by the city with some force. Eminent domain is the little trick that the city has up its sleeve to turn that giant plot of land in the ever changing, yet ever seedy 6th street corridor into space for affordable housing. Eminent domain with its roots in English Common Law is the inherent power of the state to seize a citizen’s private property without the owner’s consent. The property is taken either for government use or by delegation to third parties who will devote it to “public use.” This hotel has been sporting a for sale sign for years, but the owners refuse to sell the lovely structure and the land for a price anybody is willing to pay.
SFGate reports that “last week the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency announced it has begun the process of taking over the Hugo through the use of eminent domain. It will probably be demolished for space for affordable housing.”
Sixth Street keeps trying to make a comeback [SF Gate]
Eminent Domain [Wikipedia]
Defenestration (artists project/involvement with the Hugo) [Metaphorm]
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January 29, 2008 at 4:33 am
SF: “Gateway to the City” Making Moves to Look Less Crappy | Redfin San Francisco Sweet Digs
[…] to part with the building for a reasonable price, so it has rotted steadily away until recently: SF Schtuff reports the city has begun the process of eminent domain, by which the Hugo can be seized and rethought […]
January 29, 2008 at 6:11 pm
anna
I think this is really interesting. The eminent domain thing is a little uber-control, but I definitely see the reason for enacting it on the Hugo. I hope the projected affordable housing is more attractive than some of the Western Addition stuff.