What is happening? H.R. 7021 (117th Congress) will limit the term of a conservation easement to a maximum of 50 years. Why is this important? The goal is protecting property property rights by stopping permanent land grabs How will this be important? Supporters appear to prefer their easements to be “transparent, even-handed, and temporary while adequately […]
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Policy Goal: Land Owner Certainty
What is happening? Republican legislators in Iowa want to offer certainty to landowners in the path of a proposed carbon pipeline by requiring a 1 year moratorium on eminent domain. Why is this important? The legislator made it clear that he is not anti-pipeline. The pipeline in question would move carbon through Iowa to other […]
Bonjour, Accessory Commerical Units
What is happening? Before my time, the US welcomed small businesses at home- like the porch salon or barber shop. Since we’re heading into the Roaring 20s, what’s old is new again. Meet the Accessory Commerical Unit, a compact small business space that is added to the lot of a residential property. Why is this […]
Public Private Partnerships for Housing
What is happening? The Texas House Committee on Urban Affairs will study “the use of public-private partnerships and other tools to incentivize the development of housing that meets Texas’ expanding workforce demands.” Why is this important? Let’s think about COVID times when cities, like Los Angeles, considered eminent domain to take property of hotels or […]
Land Use Legislation
What’s happening? The Texas House is going to study ” the effect of governmental land-use regulations and controls on the availability and affordability of residential housing in Texas, including land use and zoning restrictions and related factors that slow or hinder housing development and improvement” Why is this important? Washington State was considering requiring local […]
BLM Effect: Protecting Black Cemeteries
What’s happening? Arkansas, Florida and Virginia, along with the District of Columbia, enacted legislation that provided funding for the cemeteries or created committees to study the preservation of cemeteries. Virginia House Bill 285 (2019). Why is this important? Human dignity. Descendants could be contacted before cemeteries are disturbed. How will this be important? New Hampshire’s SB […]
COVID Effect: Where We Live
What is happening? New Pew Research Center data: 1 in 5 adults surveyed preference for living in a city (down 25% since 2018) Since 2018, the suburbs are getting more love, 42% to 46% increase 1 in 5 say their communities will never be the same 10% say things are normal Republicans, and Republican leaning […]
Local Governments Offering Property Title Monitoring
What is happening? A wave of fraudulent property filings has led to local governments offering property title monitoring services for its residents. Why is this important? Imposter paperwork filings have increased, and local governments are giving residents an opportunity to be notified when any change is made to their property and deed documents How will […]
Anatomy of a new Property Rights Group
What’s happening? Iowa has a new private property rights group, Iowa Easement Team. Why is this important? The group’s concern is the use of eminent domain for private gain by building a pipeline through Iowa. How will this be important? Iowa Easement Team has hired a law firm and is working with landowners to make […]
Golfers Shut Down Home Businesses?
What is happening? A woman who runs a business in her Lakeway, Texas home discovered her business shut down by the City of Lakeway. Allegedly after golfers complained that “they could hear and see children playing in her backyard” Why is this important? A lawsuit asserts that the City of Lakeway’s use of zoning laws to […]