Friday Roundup 8-13-21

ByBrian Phillips

A Los Angeles apartment developer is suing the city for losses incurred as a result of the city’s eviction moratorium. He correctly claims that the moratorium is a “taking” per the Fifth Amendment and compensation is due to him. He is asking for $100 million. Sadly, the courts usually defer to legislators during a crisis, and the lawsuit probably is doomed to fail. And countless landlords will continue to suffer financial devastation.

A program in New York City gives the city the authority to seize private property for unpaid utility bills or delinquent taxes. The purpose of the program was to give the property to developers to eliminate “blight” and create affordable housing. A group of home owners has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that nearly 700 homes were seized without proper notification. The lawsuit also claims that the program “unfairly aided gentrification.” The plaintiffs don’t expect their homes back, but they are asking for $1 billion.

The city of Austin recently announced a plan aimed at bringing minorities back to the city. City officials state a combination of racist government policies and gentrification, the goal is to create affordable housing in historically black and brown neighborhoods. Those with ties to a neighborhood will get preferential treatment. The plan is being spearheaded by the Mayor’s Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities Task Force. While Leftists are patting themselves on the back for being woke, their grand promises are unlikely to be realized. But at least they did something.

Similar Posts

  • Experiments in Freedom

    ByBrian Phillips

    Virtually every proposal to address the housing crisis starts with the same flawed premise, namely, the solution must come from government. The city of Boise illustrates this flawed premise. The city is currently testing three different ideas to address the housing shortage: incentives and assistance for homeowners to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), allowing…

  • The Roundup 9

    ByBrian Phillips

    The Guardian has an article on the border wall that touches on a deeper, and equally divisive issue: drug prohibition. A former customs agent is quoted: ” “You got to ask yourself: why are all the drugs and illegal immigrants coming through? Why? Because of the demand for illegal drugs and illegal labour, not much…

  • |

    The Color of Law

    ByBrian Phillips

    In recent years we have heard a great deal of criticism regarding the economic and racial segregation of America’s cities. While much has been written on the subject, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein provides an illuminating explanation as to why this has occurred. Much…

  • The Proper Way to Rebrand

    ByBrian Phillips

    Political pundit Adam Johnson takes issue with a trend among landlords to “rebrand” themselves as “housing providers” because “landlord” is a feudal term. He writes, But landlords do not comprise a vulnerable or protected class; they are not dispossessed, historically marginalized, or a minority group in urgent need of reclaiming their humanity. Conveniently, Johnson ignores…

  • Preferring a Vacant Lot

    ByBrian Phillips

    Like many cities in America, St. Paul, Minnesota, is suffering from a severe shortage of affordable housing. And, as happens in many cities across the nation, some neighborhood groups in St. Paul are opposing a project that would provide homes for 144 low-income families. Opponents to the project would prefer a vacant lot rather than…