Bill > SB0480

This bill, known as the "Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act," makes several important changes to how housing authorities can acquire and use property. It redefines "blighted property" as a specific type of property with significant code violations that affect safety, including issues with roofs, walls, foundations, utilities, and other structural elements, while explicitly excluding agricultural land. The bill clarifies that housing authorities can acquire real property through negotiated sales without using eminent domain, and allows them to pay more than fair market value for properties that are not blighted. Additionally, the bill provides property owners the right to have a court determine if a taking is truly necessary to remediate blight, while still allowing housing authorities to designate areas for urban renewal or redevelopment with local government approval. The legislation maintains the ability of municipalities to establish tax increment financing zones and apply for grant funding for redevelopment plans, but places new restrictions on the use of eminent domain by specifying that it can only be used for acquiring blighted properties or properties for public use. These changes aim to provide more protection for property owners while giving housing authorities flexible tools for community development.

Justice

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0480&ga=114