Gov Rell forces NLDC to withdrawl eviciton notices

Thumbs up to Governor Rell for forcing the New London Development Corp to withdrawl their eviction notices they handed out to Fort Trumbull residents last week.

The handing out of the eviction notices was a PR nightmare and shouldn't of been done in the first place.

From the Hartford Courant

Gov. M. Jodi Rell forced the New London Development Corp. on Friday to rescind eviction notices served on residents whose homes were taken by eminent domain.

The city's development arm buckled under pressure by Rell, who could conceivably hold back state money necessary for the city's Fort Trumbull economic development project.

[...]

House Minority Leader Robert M. Ward, R-North Branford, said he wants the legislature to immediately adopt a statutory moratorium on land-takings, which would remain in effect until the General Assembly can agree on how to limit public land-takings.

"We want the moratorium to be mandatory and binding and to include the homeowners in New London," Ward said.

[...]

Using the leverage the state enjoys as a financier of the project, Rell has urged the development corporation to incorporate some of the homes into the redevelopment plan and return ownership to the holdouts.

She thought progress was being made until the development corporation served eviction notices, telling the residents they would have to pay rent and then vacate in 30 to 90 days

[...]

Legislators said the eviction notices were a political and public-relations blunder, igniting calls in New London for wholesale leadership changes at the development corporation and engaging the governor and legislators in Hartford.

Susette Kelo, the named plaintiff in the New London case and one of the residents trying to stay in her Fort Trumbull home, stood by Ward as he announced the petition drive.

"The wolves are at our door and we are asking for support. Really, that's clearly what it is. The wolves are at our door," Kelo said.

But the threat disappeared from their doors Friday as the New London Development Corp. announced it was rescinding the eviction notices.

"The governor appreciates the fact the NLDC has done the right thing and sent out this new round of letters," Everhart said. "It was unfortunate it had to come to this."

"It was stupid," Ward said.

The development corporation did not return a call for comment.