Residential
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August 23, 2024
Property Plays: KKR, NYC, GSA
Property Plays is a weekly roundup of the latest loans, leases, sales and projects around the country. Send your tips — all confidential — to realestate@law360.com.
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August 23, 2024
PE Fund Says SEC Is Overstepping With 'Fishing Expedition'
A large South Carolina private equity fund has sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly overstepping its authority by trying to regulate the business' activities through an unconstitutional "fishing expedition" investigation that threatens the building of thousands of housing units.
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August 23, 2024
Wire Verification Not Vital In Fla. Fraud Suit, Wells Fargo Says
Wells Fargo urged a Florida federal court Friday to toss a lawsuit alleging the bank allowed a hacker to steal a real estate transaction's proceeds, saying there's no obligation to match a wire beneficiary to their account, and it didn't know the transfer was fraudulent because the process is automated.
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August 23, 2024
2 Firms Guide JV's $210M Refi For NYC Affordable Housing
Real estate company Slate Property Group and its joint venture partner Fundamental Advisors on Friday wrapped up a $210 million refinancing deal for their 304,000-square-foot portfolio of New York City-based affordable and transitional housing properties, in a transaction guided by Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP.
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August 23, 2024
Brokerage Startup Challenges NAR Listing Rules
A Utah-based residential brokerage startup has accused the National Association of Realtors, an affiliated Utah multiple listing service and several major brokerages including Keller Williams Realty Inc. of engaging in an antitrust conspiracy that involved the defendants blocking the startup from accessing the NAR's MLS because the startup offers cheaper commission fees.
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August 23, 2024
Insurer Scores Coverage Win Over Retaining Wall Failure
A contractor's insurer has no duty to help cover a $2.66 million settlement over the contractor's faulty construction of retaining walls, a Washington federal court ruled, finding an "impaired property" exclusion applicable.
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August 23, 2024
US Trying Illegal Property Grab For Dad's Tax Debt, Son Says
The son of a man serving a 22-year fraud sentence told a Georgia federal court that the federal government is violating his constitutional rights in trying to take his property to satisfy his parents' tax debts, saying he had nothing to do with his father's crimes.
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August 23, 2024
DOJ Sues RealPage For Helping Fix Rental Rates
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit Friday accusing RealPage of helping residential landlords across the country fix rental prices through the use of its revenue management software.
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August 22, 2024
Homeowner Loses Atty Fees In Suit Over HOA Fence Policy
A Texas appeals court reversed a homeowner's win in a dispute with his neighbors over privacy fences facing a road, finding that a new state law prevents homeowners associations from enacting any covenant barring homeowners from putting up security measures, so the homeowner couldn't collect attorney fees.
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August 22, 2024
NY Agency Defends Real Estate Plays, Tracking Amid Review
New York's Empire State Development pushed back against an audit from the Office of the New York State Comptroller finding that ESD filed inaccurate reports about its real estate properties and sold off a number of them for too little money.
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August 22, 2024
NY High Court To Hear Case Against Kingston Rent Rollback
New York's highest court will hear a challenge from the Hudson Valley Property Owners Association and a coalition of Kingston landlords against the city's adoption of rent stabilization and a historic 15% rent reduction for tenants.
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August 22, 2024
Bronx Apartment Complex Settles Rental Subsidy Bias Case
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' office announced Thursday that the owners and managers of a Bronx apartment complex have agreed to rent 850 units to those relying on rental assistance, settling claims that the complex's practices discriminated against them.
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August 22, 2024
Fla. Investment Firm Starts $500M Real Estate Credit Strategy
Florida-based investment shop Morning Calm Management has formed a $500 million platform focused on mezzanine lending and preferred equity deals in commercial real estate, with a plan to capitalize on a void in the market left by a pullback in bank lending, the company said Thursday.
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August 21, 2024
Top New York Real Estate News This Summer
Catch up on the hottest real estate news out of New York so far this summer, from office sales and foreclosures to casino projects and housing policies.
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August 21, 2024
Fla. Co. To Pay $5M To End CFPB's Illegal Foreclosure Claims
Florida-based mortgage servicer Fay Servicing agreed Wednesday to pay a total of $5 million and its founder and CEO Edward Fay faces potential pay restrictions to resolve the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's claims the company violated a prior 2017 agreement and multiple federal laws that protect borrowers against illegal foreclosure practices.
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August 21, 2024
Finance Guru Can't Send Timeshare Fraud Suit To Arbitration
Celebrity financial planner David L. Ramsey III and his company can't pause and arbitrate a proposed class action alleging they promoted a timeshare exit fraud scheme on his radio show, a Washington federal judge said Wednesday, finding they were not included in arbitration agreements with the timeshare owners.
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August 21, 2024
Minn. Justices OK Denial Of Homestead Tax Break
A Minnesota property was correctly denied a homestead classification and property tax break because the owner did not live at the home as required, the state Supreme Court said Wednesday, affirming a state tax court decision.
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August 21, 2024
NYC Mayor Wants Land Review In Hunt For New Housing Sites
New York City's mayor told city agencies Wednesday to review land owned and operated by the Big Apple to see if any locations can be used for affordable housing development.
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August 21, 2024
Proptech Sector Stuck In The Doldrums, But Eyeing A Way Out
Hopes that the property technology sector would rebound in 2024 after a down year have not materialized so far — with a recent report showing funding has actually dropped further — but investment and technology professionals anticipate improvements soon and see the potential for major long-term growth.
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August 20, 2024
NC Panel Nixes Black Property Owners' Revived Bias Fight
A North Carolina state appeals court handed the city of Kinston a win Tuesday for a second time in a discrimination lawsuit that the state Supreme Court recently revived, finding that Black property owners' claims that the city unfairly demolished their properties aren't viable because they never completed an "adequate" administrative appeals process.
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August 20, 2024
Neb. Lawmakers OK Property Tax Relief In Special Session
The Nebraska Legislature approved emergency legislation Tuesday to provide $750 million annually in property tax relief and limit local tax hikes, rejecting amendments to help pay for the measure by eliminating numerous sales tax exemptions.
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August 20, 2024
Affordable Housing Finance Expert Returns To Ballard Spahr
Ballard Spahr LLP welcomed back to its Washington, D.C., office a transactional attorney specializing in the affordable housing market who returned to the firm after nearly two years at Carlton Fields.
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August 20, 2024
Foster Garvey Adds 5-Person Enviro Team From Seattle Firm
Foster Garvey PC announced this week that a five-person environmental law team from boutique firm Doll Mack Wells PLLC — highlighted by its three name partners — has joined the firm's Seattle office.
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August 20, 2024
NY Landlord Settles With AG Over Voucher Bias Claims
A property management company has agreed to a settlement under which it must pay $400,000 in restitution and make policy changes after the Office of the New York State Attorney General found the company discriminated against people who use housing vouchers, the office announced Tuesday.
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August 20, 2024
Fla. School Board Can Put Property Tax Increase On Ballot
A Florida school board was within its rights to place a millage increase referendum on the 2024 ballot despite the county's attempt to push the referendum to 2026, a state appeals court ruled.
Residential Real Estate Cases To Watch In 2024's 2nd Half
A housing bias suit against an Illinois city, ongoing litigation surrounding the National Association of Realtors and the government's related antitrust probe, and a legal malpractice suit stemming from a foreclosure are among the residential cases real estate attorneys should be tracking during the second half of 2024.
Opinion May Reduce Mixed-Use Mix-Ups On Fla. Housing Law
A recent legal opinion from the Florida Attorney General's Office should add clarity to a portion of the Live Local Act, the state's year-old affordable housing law, that appeared to be giving some local governments pause — or possibly an excuse — to avoid its implementation, according to one of its authors.
Fried Frank Guides Howard Hughes' $40M Air Rights Deal
Howard Hughes Corp. has purchased $40 million worth of air rights from New York City for two Manhattan properties in a deal guided by Fried Frank, as the real estate company presses forward with the redevelopment of a Seaport lot.
Expert Analysis
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What To Expect From Evolving Wash. Development Plans
The current round of periodic updates to Washington counties' growth and development plans will need to address new requirements from recent legislation, and will also likely bring changes that should please property owners and developers, says Jami Balint at Seyfarth.
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Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.
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Brownfield Questions Surround IRS Tax Credit Bonus
Though the IRS has published guidance regarding the Inflation Reduction Act's 10% adder for tax credits generated by renewable energy projects constructed on brownfield sites, considerable guesswork remains as potential implications seem contrary to IRS intentions, say Megan Caldwell and Jon Micah Goeller at Husch Blackwell.
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Bank M&A Continues To Lag Amid Regulatory Ambiguity
Bank M&A activity in the first half of 2024 continued to be lower than in prior years, as the industry is recovering from the 2023 bank failures, and regulatory and macroeconomic conditions have not otherwise been prime for deals, say Robert Azarow and Amber Hay at Arnold & Porter.
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How High Court Ruling Is Shaping Homelessness Policies
The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson to allow enforcement of local ordinances against overnight camping is already spurring new policies to manage homelessness, but the court's ruling does not grant jurisdictions unfettered power, say Kathryn Kafka and Alex Merritt at Sheppard Mullin.
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Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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After Chevron: Don't Let Loper Lead To Bank Compliance Lull
Banking organizations are staring down a period of greater uncertainty over the next few years as the banking agencies and industry navigate the post-Chevron world, but banks must continue to have effective compliance programs in place even in the face of this unpredictability, say Lee Meyerson and Amanda Allexon at Simpson Thacher.
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Maryland 'Rain Tax' Ruling May Offer Hope For Tax Credits
A Maryland state appellate court's recent decision in Ben Porto v. Montgomery County echoes earlier case law upholding controversial stormwater charges as a valid excise tax, but it also suggests that potential credits to reduce property owners' liability could get broader in scope, says Alyssa Domzal at Ballard Spahr.
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Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer
As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.
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Decoding CFPB Priorities Amid Ramp-Up In Nonbank Actions
Based on recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement actions and press releases about its supervisory activities, the agency appears poised to continue increasing its scrutiny over nonbank entities — particularly with respect to emerging financial products and services — into next year, say attorneys at Wiley.
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Shipping Containers As Building Elements Require Diligence
With the shipping container market projected to double between 2020 and 2028, repurposing containers as storage units, office spaces and housing may become more common, but developers must make sure they comply with requirements that can vary by intended use and location, says Steven Otto at Crosbie Gliner.
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7th Circ. Ruling Expands CFPB Power In Post-Chevron Era
The Seventh Circuit’s recent ruling in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Townstone Financial interprets the Equal Credit Opportunity Act broadly, paving the way for increased CFPB enforcement and hinting at how federal courts may approach statutory interpretation in the post-Chevron world, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.