Welcome to the Future!
New Jersey Governor this week signed a bill, S588 (2023 | NJ) that requires media literacy courses in K-12 to combat misinformation. New Jersey is the 1st state to require media literacy. Is it just me who was taught to question the veracity of what one reads in the press?
Governing | New Jersey Becomes First State to Require K-12 Media Literacy
Florida and California handle their home insurance markets differently. Florida leans toward limited regulation and California leans toward regulation. But, they are both in the same boat when it comes to a home insurance crisis. The common denominator: natural disasters. Florida has long subsidized home insurance via its Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, which has a $10 billion in losses. California maintains a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements for home owners denied coverage. It currently has 1000 applications a day.
Route Fifty | How California and Florida are trying to stave off the home insurance crisis
State land trusts are unlocking affordable housing projects in western states like Colorado, New Mexico & Utah. In 11 western states, state land trust managers collectively oversee more than 40 million acres.
Route Fifty | Western states look to these lands for new affordable housing
Both the Texas House and Senate have approved funding for a border wall without the use of eminent domain. The Texas Facilities Commission which is overseeing the border wall construction says it has obtained land use rights for about 60 miles of wall and 50 more miles of easements are expected. The state has built 12 miles of wall at $30 million per mile. The federal government has built 180 miles. The international border is 1254 miles long. That leaves 934 miles at $30 million per mile = $28,020,000,000.
California has defensible space rules to protect buildings from wildfires. This may soon include a space of 5 feet from a building to vegetaion. These new proposed rules for high risk wildfire areas would be the first of its kind in the nation.
NPR | With wildfires growing, California writes new rules on where to plant shrubs
The Texas House added this amendment to a “border security” bill, HB 6 (2023 | 88(3) Texas) that prohibits the use of eminent domain to acquire property on the border. The Texas international border is as long as it is complicated. Ranchers graze their herds in the Rio Grande, the Catholic Church owns land that crosses the border, so do wildlife non-profits, among others. The Catholic Church gives rise to first amendment issues- it’s complicated.
Last week we talked about Missoula Montana’s affordable housing to be built on county donated land that has received 5 applications for each unit. Well, Georgia has even bigger numbers. 177,000 applications for 13,000 housing vouchers available under its Housing Choice Voucher program.
Remember how we talked about a bar near the Alamo that was being taken by eminent domain for Alamo purposes? Well, there’s been a settlement of $6.75 million. So let’s look how the numbers went. The owners last offer was $10 million. The city’s last pubic offer: $5.3 million. A “business valuation” of the property was $1.2 million.
San Antonio Report | Texas gave Moses Rose’s Hideout $6.75 million to settle eminent domain case
“A law approved by the French parliament last March mandates that rooftops on new buildings in commercial zones must be partially covered either by solar panels or plants.” @plasticquickly and @wastefreeplanet
Missoula, Montana donated land for an affordable housing project. The project is moving forward thanks to the land donation and existing tax credit program. There are 5 applications for each of the 200 units. “It’s all about partnerships,” said Sara Stout, with the Missoula Housing Authority.
Route Fifty | How one city added hundreds of new homes amid an affordable housing crunch