Flock camera contracts are being canceled as quickly as their cameras are being involuntarily removed. In April Hood County canceled its contract with Flock. Hood County Precinct 2 Constable John Shirley Said, “That kind of permanent, warrantless tracking doesn’t belong in a free society…privacy isn’t optional, and mass surveillance isn’t how we do things here.” @HoustonChron
Private equity v. Homes
A new legal aid group in Houston is identifying homes that could be bought up by private equity, The group then provides legal services to help keep homes out of private equity ownership. @HoustonChron
Property rights: light pollution
Massachusetts Legislature is considering a Dark Skies bill that would require local governments to lower light pollution so as to lower their energy costs.
H3494, An Act to improve outdoor lighting, conserve energy, and increase dark-sky visibility.
FTC enters right to repair fray
The FTC has forced right to repair on John Deere. Thereby farmers can repair their John Deere’s outside of a John Deere facility. The FTC sued John Deere in 2025, and have reached a 10 year agreement concerning repairs. @grantonsoil
Report: Community opposition killed $170B in data center development
A new report by Carbon Direct, an energy and climate solutions company, found that, between Jan. 2024 and May 2026, at least 46 artificial intelligence data center projects in 20 states across the United States worth a total of $170 billion were publicly delayed or cancelled after community opposition.
A common thread among the projects: community opposition focused on the lack of transparency in the data center projects.
Anatomy of a development group
Bonjour, California Forever. California Forever is a tech billionaires-backed group seeking to develop swaths of Solano County farmland. California Forever joined forces with labor groups to seek fewer permitting issues for a proposed shipyard.
California Forever has spent $455,000 since last year lobbying.
Closing land use gaps to prevent data centers
Local governmental entities in Eastern Maryland are closing land use and zoning loopholes to prevent data centers. Worcester & Caroline Counties have a one year moratorium and is re-writing zoning laws.
What about a facility that transmits data but does not store data? The county is also considering how local land use requirements and the data center moratoriums apply to a data transmission facility. Governing
Era of permanent data center bans?
Is the era of permanent data center bans upon us? Oakley, California has a temporary data center development ban. Now it is making waves by integrating a permanent ban in its ordinances.
As the city updates its zoning ordinances and regulations it seeks a permanent ban on data center development to protect water and power consumption, noise, and environmental risks.
Roof fortification funding
We’ve talked about programs in Louisiana and Florida that help homeowners fortify their roofs. Now, Texas enters the fray with a proposal from Governor Abbott to establish a $400 million grant fund for roof fortification. Texas is the only Gulf state that does not offer incentives for stronger construction.
Redeveloping closed schools
San Antonio is redeveloping closed schools. What are closed schools becoming? Trade & technical schools; affordable housing; and early childhood education facilities.
Local leaders note that closing schools is a divestment in the community.