Johnston Town in Legal Crosshairs | Providence News

Providence News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 6, 2026 · 1m

Johnston, Rhode Island, is in legal hot water after a federal judge accuses the town of ignoring court orders over its controversial use of eminent domain. The dispute began when the town tried to seize a 31-acre property for a public safety building — a move landowners, including the Santoro family, argue violates prior rulings. A previous attempt to use eminent domain for affordable housing was already rejected by the judge, who found the town’s charter lacked proper funding provisions. Now, despite the judge’s directives, the town council has rushed through new resolutions, including a…