Property Rights Initiatives in Oregon and California

In response to recent property rights ballot initiatives in Oregon and California, Jessica Zenk and Libby Seifel wrote an article for Northern News of the California chapter of the American Planning Association. The article highlights the complex fiscal and planning consequences of compensating property owners for changes in land use regulations, as required by the Napa County Measure A, Nevada County Measure D, and California Proposition 90. Although all of these California ballot measures were defeated, Oregon’s Ballot Measure 37 passed and has created a significant fiscal liability for cities and counties from pending compensations lawsuits. The article was informed by the economic analysis that Seifel Consulting conducted for the Election Code Section 9111 reports in both Napa and Nevada Counties.