Howard Basham notes various links. (Here.)

I kind of think of Urban Renewal in the same vein -- except the public purpose is to increase the tax value of property to justify higher property taxes. If the government wants higher taxes they don't need to jump through such crazy hoops they can just tax the hell out of someone who then can either leave or do something more productive with the land to be able to meet the politician's insatiable appetite for more . . . more, more.