Monthly Archives: March 2020

Who: Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago What: www.ShopInPlaceChi.com How does it work? Connects people to neighborhood small businesses that are still selling products essential for residents sheltering at home Institute for Justice | ShopInPlaceChi.com Helps Chicagoans Track Local Small Businesses Offering Essential Products

Airbnb is offering “free or subsidized housing” for 100,000 people working as frontline healthcare. How will the offer be executed? fees will be waived include new protocols around cleanliness to account for COVID-19  minimum of 72 hours between stays a fund established for those who want to provide monetary support, with 100 percent of all proceeds going […]

3 Reasons for no compensation for COVID-19 shutdowns? Precedent. US Supreme Court precedent doesn’t support it. Remember Kelo? Police Powers. Government has police powers to protect health & safety that are excepted from the Takings Clause History. During the 1918-19 Flue epidemic, the last time of a health epidemic, there was no compensation. Reason | […]

What question will the Texas Attorney General will answer? whether a firearm retailer is an essential business for purposes of an emergency declaration Who requested the opinion? State Representative Dustin Burrows RQ-0341-KP

The Attorney General Opinion: KP-0294 (2020) What question did the Attorney General Opinion answer? Whether real estate inspectors need regulatory go ahead from the State Plumbing Board to conduct camera inspections of sewer lines. Why is this an issue? The Texas Real Estate Commission passed a rule requiring inspectors to also have a plumbing license […]

The legislation: SB 1079 (2020 | CA) What would SB 1079 do? Allow cities to impose vacancy taxes on housing that is vacant for more than 90 days Allow the cities to use eminent domain to use the property for affordable housing Has this been tried another cities? Yes, vacancies dropped 22% in Vancouver Vancouver […]

2 types of property that can be condemned under a federally declared emergency like the COVID19 declaration: real property for physical facilities the government may need supplies such as medicine, food, equipment, parts, etc. What allows the condemnations? The Stafford Act Lexology | Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP | Condemnation and COVID-19: When National […]

Do municipalities have authority to set the amount of time a pawnshop holds personal property? No Do municipalities have the authority to require pawnshops to electronically report personal property to law enforcement? No Why? Texas Pawnshop Act preempts municipal regulation Section 371.005 specifically gives the Legislature exclusive authority over the operation of pawnshops The ordinance […]

Where: Rhode Island What: Specify that eminent domain can be used for airspace easements by the state Department of Transportation to remove trees and other property that obstruct incoming aircraft at the state’s five general aviation facilities Why legislation? conform eminent domain laws to FAA mandates Newport this week | Proposed Legislation Creates Airspace Easements

Why is there opposition: “People in the middle are getting all of the negative and none of the positive,” What has Congressman Brady said?  “My concern is not with the concept of high-speed rail. I just want to make sure our communities are protected.” What would allow the company to use eminent domain? Approval from […]