Property rights and republicans

Did you know that the 2024 Republican platform does not contain the word property? A change is afoot.

A law professor at UC Berkeley notes “Conservatives seem comfortable with local efforts to keep farmers from using their property for solar panels or wind turbines.  They also seem OK with forcing business owners to allow people with guns on their land. Again, I’m not saying that belief in property rights has vanished altogether, but it’s not part of the MAGA agenda either.”

Legal Planet | When Did Property Rights Drop Off the Conservative Agenda

Foreign home purchases increase in U.S.

2025 has seen a 44% increase in the number of foreign home purchases in the U.S. from April 2024 to March 2025. Most of these purchases are occurring in Florida.

This week a report from the National Association of Realtors found that overseas buyers invested $56 billion in residential property in the 12 months ending in March, jumping 33.2% year over year.

Data center land use rules


After a veto of a data center bill in Virginia, York County adopted its own local rules for locating a data center. These local rules include letters from energy and water companies stating whether or not they can handle the needs of the facility when running at full capacity; sound studies; set backs; vegetative buffers; and a 5 year report on the impact of energy and water use. This sounds a lot like what we talked about in Kansas City where a data center development project negotiation also included similar  land use terms, doesn’t it?

Virginia Mercury | Virginia doesn’t have statewide data center regulations. Localities are making their own rules.

Cost effective flood plain buy outs


There’s a line of thought that cities and states can save money by creating their own buyout plans for homes in flood plains. The thought is frequently flooded homes can raise insurance rates, federal funding is slow to nonexistent, and adds cost burdens to strained local budgets. Local/State buy out programs for homes in flood plains will ultimately reduce costs.

Governing | The Case for Paying Americans to Move Out of Floodplains

Roadway access + eminent domain

Ever wondered if it is a compensable taking if a road project impedes your access to your property? What about if a road project changes access to your property? An Indiana Court ruled that impeding access to property is a compensable taking; however, making it harder to access your property by changing road patterns is not a compensable taking.

Harvard law School | Joseph William Singer | Impeding access to one’s land is a taking but changes in traffic patterns are not

Land Use trend: Burials

Meet Resting Reef, a start up, that turns pet remains to reefs to improve marine biodiversity. Providing for sustainable and meaningful burial methods.

“Cemeteries should be places that reconnect us with nature and remind us that we’re part of a larger ecosystem,” Murillo Pérez told The Guardian. “It’s time for the death industry to change: we want to shift the industry from focusing on death to life and regenerate growth.”

GoodGoodGood.Co | This startup recycles pet ashes into artificial reefs to save marine life. Human remains are next