In a landmark ruling, the New Jersey Supreme Court has upheld a highly controversial eminent domain decision that allows the city of Trenton to seize private property for redevelopment purposes. The decision, handed down on February 21, 2026, has sparked outrage among property owners and advocates for property rights.The case in question involves a group of homeowners in the Mill Hill neighborhood of Trenton who have been fighting the city's plans to demolish their properties in order to make way for a new mixed-use development. The city argued that the area is blighted and in need of redevelopment, and that seizing the properties through eminent domain was necessary to revitalize the neighborhood.The homeowners, represented by a team of lawyers from the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit Libertarian public interest law firm, argued that the city's use of eminent domain was unconstitutional and violated their property rights. They contended that their properties were not blighted and that the city was unfairly targeting them in order to benefit wealthy developers.Despite the homeowners' arguments, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city, stating that the use of eminent domain in this case was justified under the state's redevelopment laws. The court held that the city had met all the necessary legal requirements for seizing the properties and that the redevelopment plan was in the public interest.The decision has sparked outrage among property owners and advocates for property rights, who fear that it sets a dangerous precedent for cities to seize private property for the benefit of developers. Many residents of Trenton have expressed concerns about the impact of the ruling on their own properties and neighborhoods, and have vowed to continue fighting against what they see as an abuse of government power.In response to the ruling, the homeowners' legal team has vowed to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the use of eminent domain in this case violates the Fifth Amendment's protection of private property rights. They have called on lawmakers to reform the state's eminent domain laws to better protect property owners from unjust seizures.Overall, the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision has reignited the debate over eminent domain and property rights in the state, as residents and advocates grapple with the implications of the ruling on their communities and livelihoods.