The Perils of Regulatory Property in Land Use Regulation

ABSTRACT:

“Regulatory property” is the right to engage in specified activities, made valuable by government prohibitions against competitors, and protected by de jure or de facto status as property. This Article explores regulatory property and focuses upon its applications in land use regulation. It considers, inter alia, transferrable development rights, exclusive leases of subsidized sports stadia, and urban revitalization condemnations for retransfer for pre-arranged private development. The Article concludes that these generally are unfair and inefficient practices.