Government overreach has reared its ugly head in Rhode Island, where a family is fighting back against what they call an unconstitutional land grab. The battle for property rights is heating up as developers face off against a Democratic mayor who allegedly seized their land secretly to block an affordable housing project.
At a glance:
- A Rhode Island family is suing the Town of Johnston for allegedly abusing eminent domain to block their affordable housing project
- The town reportedly seized the 31-acre property without proper notice to build a municipal campus
- Mayor Joseph Polisena, Jr. publicly vowed to “use all the power of government that I have to stop it”
- The Santoro family planned to build 252 units of affordable housing on their land
- Legal experts call the town’s actions unprecedented, describing the seizure as “municipal thuggery”
Constitutional Rights Under Attack
The Santoro family has filed a federal lawsuit against the Town of Johnston, Rhode Island, after local officials allegedly seized their 31-acre property through eminent domain without following proper legal procedures. As if “proper procedures” makes it any better that the government can steal land to begin with!
The family had planned to develop a 252-unit affordable housing project on the land, addressing a critical housing shortage in a state where many communities fail to meet minimum affordable housing requirements. But that wasn’t good enough to stop Democrats stealing their land.
Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena, Jr., a Democrat, openly opposed the development and reportedly vowed to “use all the power of government that I have to stop it.” This brazen declaration has raised serious concerns about government overreach and constitutional violations that should alarm Americans who value property rights.
Since when were Democrats opposed to affordable housing?
The developers, consisting of Ralph and Suzanne Santoro, Lucille Santoro, and Salvatore Compagnone, claim they learned about the seizure not through legal channels but through a social media post made by the Mayor. The town then threatened them with trespassing citations if they didn’t vacate their own property by a specified date.
“In 40 years, I’ve seen some pretty outrageous exercises of eminent domain powers. Never anything like this,” said Robert Thomas, an attorney familiar with the case.
Secret Seizure Raises Red Flags
According to court documents, Johnston officials filed paperwork transferring the property’s title without notifying the developers or their attorneys. The town then deposited $775,000 for the land in court, a value that the Santoro family disputes, and held a court hearing without their presence or knowledge.
Kelley Morris Salvatore, representing the developers, stated that “[The Mayor’s] primary purpose is clearly to block this project.” The lawsuit argues the town’s actions violate both the Fifth Amendment’s Public Use Clause and the 14th Amendment’s Due Process protections, fundamental constitutional rights that protect citizens from government abuse.
The Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing the Santoro family, argues that the town’s claim about needing the land for a municipal campus is merely a pretext. Attorney Kady Valois emphasized, “The Constitution forbids using eminent domain under false pretenses. The Town’s claim to be seizing the Santoro family’s land for a new government campus is a sham.”
This controversy comes at a time when Rhode Island faces a severe housing shortage. In 2023, the state passed legislation specifically designed to encourage privately built affordable housing, which prompted the Santoro family to propose their development project.
Nothing the Democrats do ever seems to make any sense.
