LB255 (2023 | NE) in Nebraska would prevent the use of eminent domain for renewable energy projects.
No Eminent Domain for Private Gain
Bills to prevent the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines has supporters of the legislation using a familiar chant- No eminent domain for private gain. We’ve talked about the bills already this year, I won’t bore you, but the support mantra addition is new.
CBS2 Iowa. | Landowners rally at Iowa State Capitol: “No eminent domain for private gain”
Regulating Accessory Dwellings
Ah, the accessory dwelling. The office pod. The pool house. The tiny house for the mother in law. No one ever houses fathers in law apparently. Idaho wants to create some rules for accessory dwellings. HB 166 (2023 | ID) Idaho wants to limit local bans on accessory dwellings.
New Property Right: geothermal estate ownership in Texas
HB 1336 (2023 | TX) would create a new property right for property owners in the geothermal energy and associated resources below the surface of your land.
Go San Angelo | Geothermal energy: Texas can tap into the heat beneath our feet
Meet Hempcrete
A Belgian company makes sustainable building blocks from hemp. Hempcrete. Now available in the U.S.
GoodGoodGood | A Building Material That Consumes CO2 Has Finally Come To the US
Republican Rent Control Prohibition Bill
Florida Republican has filed SB 102 (2023 | FL) that would prohibit counties from adopting rent control policies. Florida is responding to Orange County that dipped its toes into rent controls.
The bill will also incentivize private development of affordable housing.
State Budget Include Worker Housing to Ease Worker Shortage
Connecticut’s state budge tis proposing $200 million in incentives for developers to construct housing for the new workers Connecticut needs to fill 100,000 job vacancies. The Governor wants to see 6,400 housing units and calls worker housing the key to economic growth.
Governing | Finance of the Future | Gov. Lamont’s Proposed Budget Includes $200M for Worker Housing
1st Right of Refusal for Cities
An affordable housing bill in Colorado would give cities and counties the right of first refusal when apartment buildings are offered for sale. This would allow the cities and counties to convert apartment buildings to affordable housing.
Denver Post | Colorado cities would get first right of first refusal when apartment buildings sell in new affordable housing plan
Compensation Discrepancies
Let’s take a look at two eminent domain situations in Texas and the differences between what property owners/the market value of property is vs. what Govermental entities are willing to pay.
San Antonio Bar Owner v. San Antonio & The Alamo. The owner market value is at $17 million. San Antonio is offering $3.5 million.
The Operators of the Austin Airport were awarded $90 million by special commissioners, that is 46 times the amount the cCity of Austin offered.
Real Clear Markets | A Potential Bar Seizure In Texas Calls for Revisiting Eminent Domain
KUT | Austin ordered to pay South Terminal operator $90 million in eminent domain fight at ABIA
Keeping Homeowners in their Homes
Detroit created the 0% Interest Home Repair Loan Program in 2015 to help keep homeowners in their homes by offering 10-year, interest-free loans ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to help homeowners replace windows, remove lead and fix structural issues.
The program is a $13.5 million investment in the community. 95% of borrowers are Black. It is lauded as Black homeownership preservation tool to build intergenerational wealth.
Route Fifty | One City’s Attempt to Bring Racial Equity to Home Repairs