Berman v. Parker

Congress authorized a Washington, D.C. urban-renewal plan condemning about 15 city blocks of slum and blighted property, transferring title to private developers who had to build at least one-third low-rent housing. Two commercial property owners (appellants) whose buildings were condemned sued, arguing the plan unconstitutionally took private property for private (not public) use and that "blighted areas" was too vague a term to delegate condemnation power. They also argued the plan shouldn't reach their specific commercial properties, which were not themselves slums. The trial court upheld the plan, and the owners appealed to the Supreme Court.