New York, NY —

State Sen. Bill Perkins is trying to restrict the state's powers to take private property. The Upper Manhattan Democrat says the current law allows government to take advantage of small property owners.

Current law says blight is anything that's "substandard," "insanitary," or "deteriorating." But that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. In West Harlem, where Columbia University has plans to expand, a state agency said buildings with loose awnings and unpainted brick walls qualified as blighted.

Perkins, who represents the area, wants to raise the bar. His legislation says a building must be abandoned or unfit for habitation or meet other criteria before being considered "blighted." He'd also require even civic projects -- such as the planned basketball arena at Atlantic Yards -- be located in blighted areas rather than supplant healthy neighborhoods.

Business groups have long opposed restrictions on eminent domain, saying it's been essential to build roads and bridges and redevelop areas like Times Square. Perkins's bill has a sponsor in the Assembly but no other co-signers so far.