Category Archives: Uncategorized

North Carolina passed an Ag-Gag bill that prohibited disclosure of “undercover animal-cruelty investigations and publiciz[ing] what they uncover.” The bill left the legislature and made a very fast trip to the courts. The court said that protecting private property rights is good and all but limiting free speech is not. Harvard Univeristy | Property Law […]

Arkansas legislature has passed SB197 (2023 |AR) that says local governments infringe on private property rights in their regulation of short term rentals. Trust issues are alive and well between states and cities as the bill also prohibits cities from enforcing existing short term rental rules. Cities can require permits, but no more. This reminds me of […]

Welcome new eminent domain messaging- using eminent domain for a pipeline in Iowa is being called profit over people. Iowa Capital Dispatch | Disasters happen when businesses put profits above people

Ah.. Florida, you’re getting a lot of attention this year. Everyone wants to suss out the politics of your Governor. Florida legislators want statewide rules on short term rentals. They say local governments cans till have noise, trash and parking ordinances but they have to be the same rules that apply to all residents. “The […]

San Luis Obispo is reviewing home deeds to clear the deeds of racist provisions. Restrictive covenants in the 1940s limited residential property to caucasians. In 2021, the California Legislature passed AB1466 (CA | 2021), that outlawed discriminatory language in covenants, conditions and restrictions and develop a plan to remove the covenants. Governing | San Luis […]

Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-0437 answers the question whether a public facility corporation sponsored by a municipal management district created under chapter 375 of the Local Government Code can act outside its geographical territory. The answer: Probably yes and then cautions ” Whether a PFC should have this authority and the limitations of such authority […]

What does made in the USA mean for agricultural products? Turns out it doesn’t mean that it was raised or grown here, some rules allow made in the USA if the food was processed in the US. This is going to change according to the USFDA, which will be changing its rules so that they […]

The Montana Legislature voted down SB467 (MT | 2023) that would have stopped cities from prohibiting short term rentals. Long live local short term rental bans in Montana.

Detroit is planning to use $95 million in federal ARPA funds to demolish 400 dilapidated commercial buildings. One example site is an abandoned Packard Plant. Route Fifty | How Cities and Counties Are Spending Their ARPA Funds

Washington State Legislature is moving HB 1037 (2023 | WA) that would allow for backyard burials. The bill gets to this point by removing the requirement that all burials must be conducted by registered cemetery corporations. The bill was brought to the author by constituents including local tribal members. KIRO 7 | Bill allowing family […]