Great discussion Hawa, congrats too.

The debate on property rights must include the profits one makes out of its use. The government, the community, some individual whoever uses a piece of land kept open unpurposefully shall share the proceeds with the owner ONLY if used for personal/commercial gains. It can be through an agreement or legislation.

Yea, the government should regulate the use of empty spaces with due consideration of a person's property right... unless the owner had intended to keep it open, unused at the time of purchase. One cannot sit indefinitely on a piece of land making it a mole in the whole community. It must be used as temporary shelter, I like this idea or temporary park, free auction space, free parking etc.

A nice account of an experience, good journalistic account of the happenings around the title.