In the last post, we saw that Austin’s attempt to rewrite it’s land-use regulations (called CodeNext) has resulted in great controversy and divisiveness. That divisiveness is not the result of the process that was used, but instead, the cause was the principle that underlies CodeNext. By their very nature, land-use regulations are an attempt to…
In 2012, Austin began the process of rewriting the city’s land-use regulations. The project came to be named CodeNext, and it has been mired in controversy, animosity, and finger-pointing ever since. While detractors have raised numerous points about the process of developing CodeNext, they haven’t questioned the principles underlying it. And those principles are the…
Last Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that short-term rentals are not a commercial use of property. The case involved a home owner association that claimed short-term rentals were a commercial use and violated its deed restrictions (also called covenants). Patrick Sutton, the home owner’s lawyer, said, This is about as strong of a property…
In October 2017, Anthonia Nwaorie was about to board a plane in Houston. The nurse was going to fly to Nigeria with medical equipment, supplies, and $41,000 in cash to open a medical clinic in her hometown. However, Customs and Border Protection officials had other plans for her. They detained her, subjected to hours of…
In the last Texas legislative session, great controversy erupted over Austin’s attempts to reign in local governments. Bills were introduced to prohibit local controls over plastic bags, trees, short-term rentals, and more. Local governments claimed that these efforts by the state usurped their authority. A similar controversy has erupted in California. California State Senator Scott…
In “honor” of May Day, the socialist holiday celebrating the destruction of property rights, I offer Chapter 1 of Principles and Property Rights for free. Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of man, Imagine all the people sharing all the world. John Lennon, “Imagine” We…
A lot of noise is being made about censorship on social media platforms such as Facebook, You Tube, and Twitter. Many are claiming that these companies are engaging in censorship when they remove or limit certain content. The truth is, no private company can engage in censorship. Censorship is a legal prohibition on the expression…
In 2015, Texas Central Partners announced that it had secured funding to move forward with a proposed high-speed railroad between Houston and Dallas. The project, which according to the company’s website will be funded by private investors, has attracted many opponents and generated great controversy, particularly among rural land owners along the proposed route. Opponents…
Homeowners in a neighborhood in Dripping Springs are engaged a controversy over deed restrictions. In 2016, Greg George began building his dream home in a neighborhood that was protected by deed restrictions that prohibited business operations in the neighborhood. A short time later, a neighbor began operating a wedding venue. George filed a lawsuit to…