Thesis (M.A.)--Rowan University, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Catholic Univ. of America. / Bibliography: p. 153-160.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007.

(M.A.)--Villanova University, 2007. / Political Science Dept. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2009. / Thesis advisor: John E. Harmon. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geography." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-79). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-110).

Improving the system for how right-of-way (R/W) parcels are acquired for transportation projects in Texas can benefit the state. Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is allowed to obtain a property through negotiation or condemnation, meaning going through the court system. However, gaining parcels through condemnation not only increases project durations but also project budgets, which are both detrimental to public interests. These monetary and time concerns justify the need to develop strategies to streamline how TxDOT acquires R/W properties. This thesis aims to identify strategies that have the most significant positive impact on reducing a state’s condemnation rate, costs, and durations, while still being viable for the agency to implement. As states around the nation have already realized the benefit and made significant progress to reduce their condemnation rates, they act as models for Texas. Thus, extensive interviews with 25 representatives from transportation agencies around the nation and an extensive literature review are used to gather and evaluate applicable strategies. Similarly, applicable national and state laws and court cases have been reviewed to ensure the feasibility of the strategies. / text

To maintain high levels of proficiency and readiness the U.S. Army trains its soldiers on military bases across the country. However, the Army currently possesses an insufficient amount of land with which to train on, necessitating an expansion of current bases. This paper explores the Army's land acquisition policies, using as case studies the ongoing expansions at Fort Carson in Colorado and Fort Polk in Louisiana. Fort Carson, which announced expansion plans in 2006, faced strong opposition and the project has ground to a halt. In early 2009 Fort Polk announced a 100,000-acre expansion. They have utilized a broad public outreach program and promised on numerous occasions not to use eminent domain to acquire privately-held land. As a result, the Polk expansion has proceeded much more smoothly. Using lessons learned from the pair of case studies, this paper then presents a list of best practices the Army can use for future land acquisition projects. / text

Land has always been the focus of public debates among scholars, policy makers and local populations due to its scarcity in face of population explosion and rapid urban growth. This is particularly so in the case of China. In order to support an unprecedented rate of urbanization, the institutional mechanism of land expropriation has been widely adopted by the government of the People's Republic of China over the last three decades. However, the effect of this institutional mechanism in rural China has become increasingly controversial. On one side, it is one of the most powerful tools to assemble land for urban development. Moreover, by means of land expropriation and land conveyance, local governments are capable of collecting substantial revenues to fund urban development. On the other side, the exclusive power of local governments over land expropriation, which is derived from the land management system, makes it possible for local governments to manipulate the price at which land is taken from farmers. In practice, local governments expropriate suburban or rural land at a low price and then lease it at a much higher price in land market. Therefore, inequitable compensation for land expropriation has led to numerous conflicts and social tensions between local governments and land-loss farmers. The issue of land expropriation and compensation has been identified as one of most primary sources of social discontents and complaints. Even though a growing number of studies have been conducted on the urbanization and regional development in China, a thorough cause–effect elaboration of the issue of land expropriation and compensation in rural China has rarely been carried out within the political regime. This thesis analyzes the institutional framework of land expropriation and compensation in rural China from the perspectives of property rights and land management system. In addition, it discloses the opportunities for Chinese legal system to solve this issue by borrowing legal norms, wisdoms and experience from other jurisdiction, such as the United States and Germany. Furthermore, it aims to improve and reconstruct the legal framework of compensation by elaborating the concept of long-term reciprocity. Three primary questions would be elaborated in this thesis. Is the compensation for land expropriation in rural China equitable? If the compensation is not equitable, how has such an inequity been caused? And most importantly, how to improve the compensability of land expropriation? / published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No abstract available. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1983.