Monthly Archives: May 2024

 Laws addressing squatters are de rigueur with Legislatures in Georgia,  Florida and New York taking action.   But is this for show? Number vary widely.  In Georgia the numbers in Atlanta varied from 1,200 according to the National Rental Home Council to 1.4 million households by KB Advisory Group. “Newsweek reported that the numbers of homes taken over by squatters for Dallas-Fort Worth and Orlando […]

Buena Vista Colorado is addressing its affordable housing crisis with modular homes. A Fading West  factory in Buena Vista, can produce 2 modular full-size, single-family homes per week. It is said the homes are indistinguishable from traditional built homes. Route Fifty | Are modular homes the future of affordable housing?

A town in Delaware is considering limiting its use of eminent domain by ordinance. The limitation would only permit the use of eminent domain within the town’s city limits and would exclude the use of eminent domain in its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Milford Live | Council discusses restricting eminent domain in charter

Tribal governments in South Dakota have enacted tribal ordinances that prohibit the Governor from entering their sovereign lands. 7 of the 9 tribes are denying the Governor entrance after the Governor claimed ties between cartels and the tribes. NPR | Most of South Dakota’s tribes have banned Governor from their land

Atlanta ordinances prohibit new storage facilities, gas stations and drive-thru restaurants within the Beltline overlay district with the policy goal of fostering pedestrian-focused developments. Governing | Atlanta Considers Banning Data Centers from Beltline, Transit Stops

Washington County in southern Utah is offering property owners $2 per square foot of converted turf, up to 5,000 square feet. The funding is split between the Washington County Water Conservancy and the state of Utah, which matches the county dollar for dollar.  Utah Legislature allocated $8 million dollars to launch the program, with $3 million recurring […]

Welcome to AI world. HUD is warning that AI is creating new housing discrimination affecting rental selection and advertisements concerning obtaining housing. “The issue of algorithmic accountability has been featured in at least one bill, with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introducing the Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023 to help protect consumers from AI and machine learning models’ misuse in areas like housing processes.” […]

Maryland is considering legislation, to allow local jurisdictions to impose higher taxes on vacant properties to address the state’s affordable housing crisis. HB 2 (2024 | MD) signed by Maryland’s Governor.

Kansas Legislature has sent to the Governor  SB 172 (2024 | KS) that prohibits foreign ownership of land by persons from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela. The legislation would empower the state Attorney General to divest foreign nationals of their property. There’s a lot of chatter about the constitutionality of this bill. KAKE News […]

The Show Me state wants to show us that it doesn’t like eminent domain for solar and wind projects. The Missouri House approved a ban on eminent domain for solar and wind builders. HB 1750 (2024 | MO) Missouri Independent | Missouri House approves bill prohibiting eminent domain for solar, wind energy projects