Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where: Austin, TX How did the city determine illegal short term rentals? City hired a contractor What did the contractor find? 75% of Austin’s short term rentals were illegal New Kid on the Block: short-term rental monitoring company Host Compliance Statesman | Study Finds 75% of Austin short-term rentals are illegal

Where: Georgia Who is taking action? Glynn County Tax Commissioner Jeff Chapman. How would short term rentals be taxed? By recalculating or revoking the homestead exemption The Brunswick News | Homestead exemptions target of increased scrutiny

Where: Colorado Springs CO Who is initiating the tax change? County Assessor Steve Schleiker  How would a local tax assessor do this? Reclassifying the property as commercial from residential with a potential assist by the Legislature The Gazette | Colorado Springs short-term property owners could see massive tax bill increase

Where: Florida The legislation: HB 1159 (2019 | FL) What does it prohibit? No city approval to remove, replant, prune, or trim a tree No required replanting of a tree if a tree is removed WTSP | New law allows property owners to remove, trim trees without a permit

Where: California What?  No private transfer fees Are there exceptions? Yes, if the fees are used exclusively to support the encumbered property or cultural, education, charitable, recreational, environmental, or conservation The legislation: AB 3041 (2028 | CA)

What: a poll conducted by San Marcos Daily Record The results: majority believe more oversight if private entities have eminent domain authority San Marcos Daily Record | Majority Believes Eminent Domain Should Not Be Given To Private Companies Without More Oversight

Where? Lancaster PA What happened? Nuns protested a pipeline that was running through their convent’s land, ended up charged with trespass and fulfilling community service What did the judge say about the situation? “We must all be more vigilant to elect to those legislative positions persons who are highly concerned with their local constituents and […]

Where?  Florida What legislative action triggered the lawsuit? When the county disbanded the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission What governmental entity is being sued? The county What is the claim? That the county’s regulatory change devalued taxi medallions that that is tantamount to a taking that requires compensation Tampa Bay Times | Lawsuit: Hillsborough’s new […]

Where? Texas What question(s) will the TX Attorney General answer? Statutory Construction of the dog bite law, including? Definition of sworn complaint Does it have to be shown that the attack was unprovoked? What are defenses if the dog attack was provoked? Is the 10 day hearing requirement a hard limit? Or, can it be […]

Where? California What? SB 50 (2019 | CA) How does SB 50 change single family zoning? By permitting more high volume housing construction in areas that are near: high-frequency transit lines job clusters good schools Why? California has a housing shortage estimated at 3.5 million homes and single family zoning is an obstruction to high […]