Pope Leo XIV’s modest boyhood home in Dolton, Illinois, is at the center of a controversial push by the town to seize it through eminent domain—even though it’s already on the market.
Key Facts:
- The Village of Dolton plans to acquire the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV through eminent domain, despite it being up for sale.
- Attorney Burt Odelson, representing the village, says the town intends to buy it directly or take it by legal authority.
- The current owner bought the home for $66,000 and listed it privately for $250,000 following the Pope’s election in May 2025.
- The village is working with the Chicago Archdiocese to make the home a historic site.
- Dolton is currently under federal investigation for financial mismanagement and past political corruption.
The Rest of The Story:
Dolton officials have signaled their intent to seize Pope Leo XIV’s former home, using the government’s eminent domain powers.
The home was previously listed for $199,000 before the Pope’s election, then pulled from the market.
Now, it’s available through a private auction with a $250,000 reserve price.
The village, however, claims it will take the property whether or not a higher bid is offered.
Attorney Burt Odelson informed Paramount Realty USA’s CEO, Misha Haghani, that any private purchase could be overridden.
Odelson also stated the village is partnering with the Archdiocese to preserve the site as a historical destination.
The sale is currently scheduled to end on June 18, but the village’s legal warning threatens to disrupt it.
Leo XIV warned against the "temptation to be an autocrat" in his first Sunday homily as pope. It's a temptation Dolton, Illinois, is yielding to as it eminent domains his childhood home. https://t.co/DYZ5m5u4kC
— reason (@reason) May 21, 2025
Commentary:
This is exactly the kind of government overreach that property owners fear—where the law is twisted to push private citizens out of their own homes under the guise of the “public good.”
The Village of Dolton, already mired in scandal, appears more interested in a PR boost than following basic principles of private property rights.
While honoring Pope Leo XIV’s legacy might sound noble on paper, what’s really going on is a blatant power grab.
A private homeowner legally owns this house and is trying to sell it fairly.
Yet the village is saying: “We don’t care who you sell it to—we’re taking it anyway.”
This maneuver comes from a town buried under corruption investigations and financial chaos.
Dolton’s mayor and officials are already under scrutiny by the FBI, and now they’re adding property seizures to their list of government abuses.
It’s not surprising coming from a Democrat-run town with a history of ignoring basic accountability.
Unless there’s a massive outcry from voters, the media, and the Church itself, the property owner has little hope of a fair shake.
But let’s be honest—when have Democrat leaders in scandal-plagued towns like this ever cared what the public thinks?
The Bottom Line:
Dolton’s move to take Pope Leo XIV’s boyhood home through eminent domain is less about preservation and more about control.
Despite the home being up for auction, the village is threatening legal action to bypass the process.
In a town already under investigation for corruption, this is yet another example of officials acting above the law—at the expense of regular citizens.
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