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tel/fax:
718.362.4784
Please note our new postal address when sending
contributions to the legal fund:
121 5th Avenue, PMB #150
Brooklyn, New York 11217
About DDDB
Our coalition consists of 21 community organizations and
there are 51 community organizations formally
aligned in opposition to the Ratner plan.
DDDB is a volunteer-run organization. We have over 5,000
subscribers to our email newsletter, and 7,000 petition
signers. Over 800 volunteers have registered with DDDB
to form our various teams, task-forces and committees
and we have over 150 block captains. We have a 20 person
volunteer legal team of local lawyers supplementing our
retained attorneys.
We are funded entirely by individual donations from the community at large
and through various fundraising events we and supporters have organized.
We have the financial support of well over 3,500 individual
donors.
More about
DDDB...
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For Immediate Release: June 6, 2007
Federal Court Rules That Goldstein v. Pataki
Eminent Domain Case Belongs In Federal Court,
But Dismisses Case Anyway
Plaintiffs Optimistic That They Will Prevail
BROOKLYN, NY— The Federal District Court in Brooklyn today ruled in favor of plaintiffs
and rejected a prior court recommendation that the eminent domain lawsuit, Goldstein
v. Pataki, belonged in state rather than federal court
In that lawsuit, property owners and tenants in the footprint of the proposed
"Atlantic Yards" project challenge the use of eminent domain to seize their homes
and businesses to make way for the project, alleging that the takings violate
the U.S. Constitution. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis disagreed with Magistrate
Judge Robert Levy’s February report
and recommendation by ruling that federal court is the proper legal forum
for the case. Judge Garaufis also ruled, however, that the plaintiffs’ complaint
is insufficient.
"We will appeal the ruling," said the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Matthew Brinckerhoff. "We are confident that the appellate court will allow this case to proceed to trial, at which the citizens of New York will finally learn the real reason plaintiffs’ properties were selected to be forcibly taken, and why Ratner was chosen to reap an unprecedented financial windfall."
Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn organized the Goldstein v. Pataki plaintiffs and lawsuit, and continues to raise the necessary funds for what is expected to be a long and drawn out legal fight.
"We will continue to pursue every single legal option available to the plaintiffs, wherever they lead us, to stop what we believe is a private taking in violation of the U.S. Constitution," said DDDB legal team coordinator Candace Carponter.
Plaintiffs in the case are 13 residential and business owners and rent-stabilized
tenants located in the footprint of Forest City Ratner’s "Atlantic Yards" plan.
Defendants in the case are former Governor Pataki, the Empire State Development
Corporation, Mayor Bloomberg and Forest City Ratner. All legal briefs and decisions
can be found at: http://www.dddb.net/php/reading/legal/eminentdomain
Posted: 6.06.07
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