Just Compensation.

• Author: Doherty, Brian
• Position: Constitutional amendment supports property rights in Oregon - Brief Article

In November, Oregon, notorious for its expansive land use regulations, passed a constitutional amendment that just might rein them in. The new law will help citizens get compensation from the state government if its regulations lessen the value of their property.

Measure 7 passed with 54 percent of the vote, despite strong opposition from the governor, most other state officials, environmentalist groups, and some business interests. Opponents warned that compensation under the measure would total $5.4 billion a year--effectively admitting that they intend to impose that much cost on property owners without compensation. David Hunnicutt of Oregonians in Action, a landowners' rights group that helped get the measure on the ballot, says the victory was unexpectedly large, given that Measure 7's opponents outspent proponents by a 5-to-1 margin.

The new law applies only to regulations that went into effect after the current owner bought the...