On September 25th, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), often called the “congressional watchdog,” issued a report on reverse mortgages. Reverse mortgages allow seniors to convert part of their home equity into payments from aREAD MORE
Universities of Boston and Stanford Paper: “How Do Foreclosures Exacerbate Housing Downturns?”
As discussed in a recent article from MarketWatch, “A new working paper authored by researchers at Boston University and Stanford University investigates the ways in which foreclosures exacerbate a housing bust and reduce prices for non-distressed homes.READ MORE
Governing Magazine “Addicted to Fines”
Last month, Governing Magazine issued a report titled “Addicted to Fines” The article discusses a large scale analysis of fine revenues to date, constructing a database from thousands of annual financial audits and reports filedREAD MORE
Baltimore Vacant Properties, is Public Shaming the Answer?
In a recent Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun, Peter Duvall, community revitalization coordinator for Strong City Baltimore discussed new legislation being proposed by Councilman Kris Burnett. This legislation would “target the hard-to-track owners of vacantREAD MORE
Legal Challenge to Omaha Ordinance
The Metropolitan Omaha Property Owners Association sued the city, the Mayor and several other city officials, calling the Vacant and Abandoned Property Ordinance “unconstitutional.” The claim “centers around a 2015 consent decree that was partREAD MORE
Interesting Headline – “Mayor calls upkeep of vacant homes waste of taxpayer money”
On August 19th, the Corpus Christi Caller Times ran a report titled “Mayor calls upkeep of vacant homes waste of taxpayer money”. It appears that he spoke out of a valid frustration of having toREAD MORE
Permit Denial Ordinance
A recent article in the Morning Call, discusses a new anti-blight ordinance passed in June 2019. Alicia Miller Karner, city director of community and economic development said “the city will be modifying its permit applications,READ MORE
New York State Senate: Investigative Report on Code Enforcement in New York State
On August 6th, the New York State Senate Committee on Investigations & Government Operations issued a report titled, Investigative Report on Code Enforcement in New York State. Per the press release from Senator James Skoufis, ChairREAD MORE
Journal of Behavioral Medicine “Urban building demolitions, firearm violence and drug crime”
In February, we reported on a LSU Department of Sociology study showing a statistical connection between homicide, blighted buildings and convenience stores in Baton Rouge, LA. In a recent article, Newsweek discusses a study inREAD MORE
Missouri Senate Bill 203 Nuisance Actions in Certain Cities and Counties
Missouri Senate Bill 203 was signed on July 9th by Missouri Governor Michael Parson. In a news release from Thompson Coburn LLP the various benefits of this new legislation is discussed. Senate Bill 203 makes significant changesREAD MORE
University of Texas School of Law: Texas Problem Properties Toolkit
In 2010, the Community Development Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law issued a study titled, “Texas Problem Properties Toolkit” The Toolkit focuses on; Community engagement Rental property registration Receivership Vacant property ordinancesREAD MORE
City of Bedford OH Ceases Enforcement of Nuisance Ordinance
In February we reported on the various challenges to nuisance property legislation across the country. In a recent development, the city of Bedford, OH agreed to stop enforcing their nuisance ordinance as a result ofREAD MORE