Battle for Brooklyn was a very well researched, well told, emotional story about a very complex story-the type of story print journalists never do any more. Living in Texas, I wasn't familiar with this project, but I have heard horror stories about eminent domain laws being used in questionable ways. What happened in Brooklyn should scare the hell out of every one of us. Billionaire developer Ratner (who also owned the Nets at the time) decides to build an arena, some shopping and housing in Brooklyn. Where families are living. Where businesses have been running-some since the 1960s. These are not slums, they are lofts and apartments. But instead of coming to the residents and offering to buy them out, the developer uses eminent domain-with approval by the state-by saying the entire area is "blighted". The entire deal was done without any input from the community. It was clearly an illegal use of the e.d. law but the NY court disagreed & ordered the last residents & businesses out. Mr. Ratner made $1.6 Billion on the deal, while according to the NY. Times the city lost $40 Million. Of 15,000 jobs promised, well, that never happened. There was no oversight. Beautiful old buildings were demolished and replaced by weed-filled lots. If our systems have gotten so corrupt as to allow things like this to go on with absolutely no recourse, we are in need of documentaries like this one. I thank the film makers and the Brooklyn residents who fought the good fight.
Review of Battle for Brooklyn
