We all love an underdog, don't we? Someone who won't be bullied, who will stand up for themselves and their rights in the face of all-powerful corporations and governments, they give us all hope that we little guys do have the power after all.
Often referred to as 'nail houses' or 'holdouts,' such as these have become high profile media sensations, particularly in China where the brave homeowners receive widespread support against the perceived bullying of the powers that be. Anyone who has seen the movie 'Up,' or Australian classic 'The Castle' will identify with this! These holdout cases most often happen when the government needs land for highway building or decides to do resident relocation of the whole village if the land that it sits on serves a purpose for mining or other heavy industries. Since selling property isn't something that can be forced, some people stand their ground, refusing to take the ridiculously small buy out cash.
Scroll down to see the astonishing examples below, and don't forget to vote for your favorite!
#21 This Saloon Refused To Sell Their Property To An Apartment Company And Now The Apartment Has To Build Around Them
Report
85points
#22 This "Nail House" Is Blocking Traffic In Shanghai
Unknown
Report80points
#23 The Spiegelhalter Family Refused To Sell Their Shop To The Expanding Wickhams Department Store
Report
79points
#24 The Entire Rockefeller Plaza Complex Was Moved, Due To These Two Buildings Whose Owners Refused To Sell
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77points
#25 The Tenant Of This Apartment Building In Kunming, China, Has To Cross A Moat After The Contractors Dug A Ditch To Force The Last Family Out.
China Daily
Report71points
#26 A Nail House Sits In The Middle Of A Road Under Construction In Nanning, China, In April 2015. The Owner Of The House Didn’t Reach An Agreement With The Local Authority About Compensation For The Demolition
65points
#27 Residents Of The Guangfuli Area Of Shanghai Have Collectively Decided Not To Leave Their Homes, Creating An Entire "Nail Neighborhood." Tao Weiren Sits In Front Of His Two-Story House, Which Is Now Surrounded By High-End Condominium Buildings
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61points
#28 Zheng Meiju Outside Her Nail House In Rui’an, Zhejiang Province, In July 2013. She Has Been Living In The Partially Demolished Home For Nearly A Year, Even Though The Water And Electricity Supply Were Cut
61points
#29 The Farm In The Middle Of Narita Airport. Farmers Are Refusing To Give Up Their Land In The Middle Of This Airport In Japan. The Runway Is Only Half Usable Because Of Their Refusal To Relocate. They Are Currently A Literal Stones Throw Away From The Flight Path And Must Be Living An Earth Shaking Experience.
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60points
#30 Hard-Line Developers In China Diverted A River To Encircle Householders Who Refused To Move From Their 900-Year-Old Village
57points
#31 The 'Million Dollar Corner' That Macy's Had To Build Around, And Then Hide Behind A Billboard
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57points
#32 The Last House In This Area Stands In Front Of A Shopping Mall In Central China's Hunan Province
55points
#33 The Last House Of An Old Neighborhood Stands Alone In A Future Shanghai World Expo 2010 Parking Lot, Under Nanpu Bridge On April 6, 2010, In Shanghai, China. The Holdout Owner Of The House Was Shi Yuji. The House Was Destroyed Days Later, And The Owner Moved Into A Workers' Dormitory
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49points
#34 This "Nail House" House Sits On A Mound Above Ground Level Because The Developer Dug Out The Land Around It
45points
#35 Nail Houses Whose Owners Refused To Relocate, At The Construction Field In Taiyuan, Shanxi Province Of China
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43points
