Like many cities across the nation, Olympia, Washington is facing a shortage of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families. The city council is currently trying to figure out how much money it can extort from developers before it kills the golden goose. Of course, the city council isn’t wording it quite that way. In…
In mid-June, New Jersey joined the ranks of jurisdictions making it illegal for landlords to discriminate against convicted criminals. Because of the large percentage of convicted criminals who are “people of color,” the law is being hailed as a reform of the criminal justice system and a step toward racial equity. The law prohibits landlords…
A great article by Raymond C. Niles addresses the government’s failed COVID policies. As the article states, “Government should neither mandate nor ban vaccine passports or the other health decisions that individuals morally and rightfully should make for themselves.” Click here to read the entire article.
City officials in Charleston, South Carolina want to pay homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their property. Relaxing zoning regulations that limit or prohibit ADUs, also called granny flats or mother-in-law suites, is one way many cities are addressing the shortage of affordable housing. Ending the prohibition on ADUs is a proper step….
Cities across the country are relaxing their zoning regulations, and particularly single-family zoning, to address the affordable housing crisis. Some cities, such as Minneapolis, have completely done away with single-family zoning. And the Biden Administration has suggested that local governments will be required to relax their zoning regulations if they want to receive certain federal…
In March 2020, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded to the pandemic by following the herd and shutting down “non-essential” businesses across the state. In doing so, he prevented business owners from finding innovative ways to remain open while keeping employees and customers safe. He prevented individuals from judging the risks posed by COVID-19 and then…
Progressives in Washington State are applauding recently passed laws giving tenants expanded “rights.” The laws include greater restrictions on the ability of landlords to evict tenants, the right to counsel during evictions, and a requirement that landlords offer a “reasonable” payment plan for tenants who are behind on their rent. Despite the rhetoric of Progressives,…
Last week, the New York Assembly passed a bill that will make it easier for tenants to sure their landlord when certain repairs have not been performed. The bill would allow judges to provide any relief they choose, including a monetary judgment to the tenant. Earlier this year, the state extended its eviction moratorium until…
Legislators across the country are scrambling to develop policies that will lead to more affordable housing. (Affordable housing means that a family is paying 30 percent or less of its income on housing.) One of the most popular schemes is to provide tax credits for developers who agree to set aside a percentage of their…
In 2017, the Austin City Council adopted the Strategic Housing Blueprint, which set a goal for the city to build 135,000 new affordable housing units within ten years. According to the city’s own website, in the first two years of the plan, the city built a total of 16,253 housing units, or about 60 percent…
The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled on the case of Powell v. City of Houston. The plaintiffs had claimed that Houston’s preservation ordinance violated the city charter, which prohibits zoning without a referendum. The preservation ordinance, the plaintiffs held, is a form of zoning. In its ruling, the Court agreed that the ordinance is zoning,…