Property rights across the nation are under ferocious assault, especially in the aftermath of Kelo v. New London. In the fall of 2005, we discovered a particularly offensive case right next door. The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency had already seized the title of a Malaysian immigrant's land. The intended recipient was none other than Saint Peter's Preparatory School, which coveted this man's property in order to add seven yards to its existing athletic field.

In response, Hoboken Republicans organized a rally in defense of property rights, held at Mr. Tan's Golden Cicada Tavern. Since then, his case received a lot more media attention, which eventually erupted into a media firestorm. In the face of this PR nightmare, Mayor Healy finally came out and called for the city to cease and desist. To thank all of his supporters, Mr. Tan hosted an "appreciation party" at his tavern. He specifically thanked the Hoboken Republicans for their unwavering defense of his constitutional rights.

We then learned that, while the city had opted not to confiscate Mr. Tan's land, he was still not allowed to make any improvements to his property. As part of the city's attempt to steal his land, they downzoned his property to "recreation/open space." Clearly, his rights were still being violated. This is a case that we have followed with interest over the years.

Finally, it appears that common sense has prevailed. The city has reversed the downzoning, allowing Mr. Tan to construct up to five stories on his land. He plans to make the case for a seven story development that would include senior housing. And don't worry, a new and improved Golden Cicada Tavern would remain on the ground level.

If you'd like to check out the Golden Cicada for yourself, it's located on the corner of Grand and Marin in Jersey City, near the Marin Boulevard Light Rail and Grove Street PATH stations. The drinks are cheap, and the dumplings are tasty.