Massachusetts is taking Cape Cod homeowners' deeds for a construction project, and residents feel 'bulldozed.' Here’s what rights homeowners have

For homeowners who’ve lived near the bridge for decades, or who moved in only months ago, the process has been emotionally devastating. Several residents told CBS News they feel overwhelmed, rushed and powerless as the state moves forward with a project officials say is critical to public safety.

The Sagamore Bridge is nearly 90 years old and carries millions of vehicles each year. Along with the nearby Bourne Bridge, it has been deemed structurally deficient. The administration of Gov. Maura Healey has prioritized replacing Sagamore first due to heavier traffic and higher crash rates. The state estimates construction of the new bridges could be completed by 2034.

But for homeowners losing their properties, that long-term public benefit comes at an immediate personal cost.

"I feel like maybe this is just a dream and I'm going to wake up… I'm very nervous and it's affecting my health," Joyce Michaud, who lost her home to the deeds grab, told CBS Boston. “I have 120 days to go, I don't know where and it's a little scary."

Why the state is taking homes, and how it works

Massachusetts is using eminent domain, a legal power allowing the government to take private property for public use, provided it pays fair market compensation.

Under MassDOT’s process, homeowners were notified last year that their properties would be taken. Each property goes through an appraisal, followed by a deed transfer. Once the deed changes hands, homeowners have a 120-day period to review the appraisal and relocate.

During that time, MassDOT says owners can negotiate to stay in their homes longer (often by paying rent to the state) and are eligible for relocation assistance. Compensation checks can arrive quickly. One homeowner told CBS News her deed was transferred on a Friday, and the state-delivered check arrived the next day.

That speed is jarring for many people, especially retirees or longtime residents who expected to age in place. Even homeowners who acknowledge receiving fair market value say the loss goes far beyond money.

Why eminent domain is destabilizing

Eminent domain takes property while upending financial plans, housing security, and emotional stability.

For retirees, a home may represent predictability, community ties, and carefully planned retirement math. Losing it on a fixed timeline can force rushed decisions, higher housing costs, or moves far from support networks. For newer homeowners, the shock can be even sharper: some Cape Cod residents learned they would lose homes they’d purchased only months earlier.

Once a project is approved, states can move quickly, while homeowners are left scrambling to understand their rights, often while processing shock, anger and uncertainty.

“We feel like we’ve been just bulldozed,” Joan Hendel told CBS Boston.

What rights homeowners still have

Even though the state can take property, homeowners in this situation are not powerless.

First, owners are entitled to fair market compensation, based on an appraisal. Homeowners can, and often should, seek an independent appraisal to ensure the valuation reflects current market conditions, not just the state’s estimate.

Second, compensation is negotiable. Eminent domain does not require homeowners to accept the first offer. Negotiating can increase payouts, especially if the home has unique features, recent upgrades or emotional value not captured in typical government appraisals.