Kaur v. New York State Urban Development Corporation
Court of Appeals of New York
933 N.E.2d 721 (2010)
The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) (defendant) sought to acquire West Harlem property owned by Parminder and Amanjit Kaur (plaintiffs) through eminent domain to build a new Columbia University campus. ESDC commissioned engineering, architecture, and planning studies that found the neighborhood met the legal standard for "blight" due to dilapidated buildings, poor structural and exterior conditions, health and safety hazards, environmental problems, underuse of the land, and building-code violations. The Kaurs challenged both the blight finding and the resulting property acquisition. The appellate division ruled in the Kaurs' favor, and ESDC appealed.
Whether the judiciary may overturn a legislative body's finding of blight supporting an eminent-domain acquisition if the finding is not irrational or baseless.