Researchers Are Mapping the Racist Foundations of Minneapolis Housing Patterns – Next City: "...a group of researchers working out of Augsburg University in Minneapolis is taking on a less visible legacy: thousands of racially restrictive covenants in house deeds buried in the city’s property records.
Their project is called Mapping Prejudice. Their goal is to find every single racially restrictive covenant — a now-illegal type of deed restriction that prevented the sale of a home to a black person or, in some cases, anyone other than a white person — and plot them on a map of Minneapolis. The early results show, not too surprisingly, that the neighborhoods where racial covenants were clustered in the early part of the 20th century are still some of the city’s whitest."
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The early history of homeowners' associations was mainly about enforcing race restrictive covenants. These covenants created patterns of racial segregation that are still with us today in many cities.
'via Blog this'
Friday, September 15, 2017
California's housing costs are driving its citizens into poverty. Lawmakers need to act now - LA Times
California's housing costs are driving its citizens into poverty. Lawmakers need to act now - LA Times
"Annual data released this week again confirm that when housing costs and other living expenses are figured in, California has the nation’s highest poverty rate. One in five Californians lives in poverty. Why? Because the staggering cost of paying for a roof over one’s head has left people struggling to survive."
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And this opinion piece is based on this story.
"Annual data released this week again confirm that when housing costs and other living expenses are figured in, California has the nation’s highest poverty rate. One in five Californians lives in poverty. Why? Because the staggering cost of paying for a roof over one’s head has left people struggling to survive."
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And this opinion piece is based on this story.
Homeowners association settles lawsuit against Loveland couple that built critical sign in front yard - Loveland Reporter-Herald
Homeowners association settles lawsuit against Loveland couple that built critical sign in front yard - Loveland Reporter-Herald
"A Loveland man removed a controversial sign from his front yard Thursday more than a month after he constructed the billboard to criticize his neighborhood's homeowners association.
"A Loveland man removed a controversial sign from his front yard Thursday more than a month after he constructed the billboard to criticize his neighborhood's homeowners association.
But Rich Stephens, the resident, did so with a promise from the Alford Meadows Community Association that it would never again harass him over a wooden pallet painted to resemble a colonial American flag hanging from the side of his house on the corner of West 50th Street and Crabapple Drive."
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First came the wooden colonial flag, then a giant sign warning people about the HOA. But now all is settled.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Arizona HOAs foreclosing on a record number of homeowners
Arizona HOAs foreclosing on a record number of homeowners: "Homeowners associations, the enforcers of neighborhood paint colors, holiday decorations and trash bins, are leading the latest surge in Phoenix-area foreclosures. HOAs are foreclosing on a record number of homeowners for as little as $1,200 in missed maintenance payments, according to an Arizona Republic investigation. And homeowners who thought only their mortgage lender could seize property are losing their houses at sheriff’s auctions, sometimes for just $100 more than they owe..Arizona allows an HOA to foreclose after a year of missed payments or a debt of $1200. But when HOAs add legal fees and interest to late payments, the debt can more than quadruple in a year."
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Yes, here we go again. For years after the 2007-08 crash in property values, HOAs and condo associations often decided not to foreclose because the units were underwater and there wouldn't be any equity left after the HOA foreclosure triggered the mortgagee (bank) to get into the act and take what was owed on the mortgage. Some states have a limited "super-priority lien" for some amount of overdue assessments, but the big payoffs, including hefty attorney fees, were not there because you can't get blood from a turnip. But now, housing values have come back in many markets, so HOAs are back in the foreclosure business.
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Yes, here we go again. For years after the 2007-08 crash in property values, HOAs and condo associations often decided not to foreclose because the units were underwater and there wouldn't be any equity left after the HOA foreclosure triggered the mortgagee (bank) to get into the act and take what was owed on the mortgage. Some states have a limited "super-priority lien" for some amount of overdue assessments, but the big payoffs, including hefty attorney fees, were not there because you can't get blood from a turnip. But now, housing values have come back in many markets, so HOAs are back in the foreclosure business.
Woodson: 'I'm not spending taxpayer money on private roads' | Riverhead News Review
Woodson: 'I'm not spending taxpayer money on private roads' | Riverhead News Review
And that is the answer that HOA residents should expect to hear for the next 20 years, as their private streets wear out and they realize to their horror that they don't have the money to repair them, and turn to the "gubmint" to bail them out. In this case, they turned to the courts:
"Last fall, the Oak Hills Association filed a lawsuit against the town, seeking to have a state Supreme Court judge require it to provide all highway services to the neighborhood, which has 85 homes and 11 roads. That lawsuit, which named both the Town Board and Mr. Woodson is defendants, is still pending and board members said settlement discussions have taken place."
And that is the answer that HOA residents should expect to hear for the next 20 years, as their private streets wear out and they realize to their horror that they don't have the money to repair them, and turn to the "gubmint" to bail them out. In this case, they turned to the courts:
"Last fall, the Oak Hills Association filed a lawsuit against the town, seeking to have a state Supreme Court judge require it to provide all highway services to the neighborhood, which has 85 homes and 11 roads. That lawsuit, which named both the Town Board and Mr. Woodson is defendants, is still pending and board members said settlement discussions have taken place."
The world’s largest car market just announced an imminent end to gas and diesel cars - Vox
The world’s largest car market just announced an imminent end to gas and diesel cars - Vox
China, India, and Europe are getting rid of gas and diesel vehicles much faster than most Americans realize. It will happen here, eventually, but the US is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in most important industrial and technological developments. Other nations are taking over the markets of the future and developing the technologies that will be at the heart of the economy in the near future. How about this sentence: "In most big markets outside the US, EVs are the hot thing"? Here's another: "In July, Volvo announced that all its models introduced in 2019 and after would be hybrid or electric." Yes, electric cars are "the hot thing" everywhere except here, where Americans are still salivating over V-8 pickup trucks and the national government is run by a party that denies the existence of global warming because they are on the take from the oil industry. And it isn't just that the switch to electric. At the same time, cars are going driverless, and the Chinese are trying to beat us to the market with this technology. The implications for the housing market of the transportation revolution that is happening everywhere but here are pretty dramatic.
China, India, and Europe are getting rid of gas and diesel vehicles much faster than most Americans realize. It will happen here, eventually, but the US is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in most important industrial and technological developments. Other nations are taking over the markets of the future and developing the technologies that will be at the heart of the economy in the near future. How about this sentence: "In most big markets outside the US, EVs are the hot thing"? Here's another: "In July, Volvo announced that all its models introduced in 2019 and after would be hybrid or electric." Yes, electric cars are "the hot thing" everywhere except here, where Americans are still salivating over V-8 pickup trucks and the national government is run by a party that denies the existence of global warming because they are on the take from the oil industry. And it isn't just that the switch to electric. At the same time, cars are going driverless, and the Chinese are trying to beat us to the market with this technology. The implications for the housing market of the transportation revolution that is happening everywhere but here are pretty dramatic.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Rich SF Homeowners Prepare For Legal Battle Against Asian Couple That Owns Their Street
Rich SF Homeowners Prepare For Legal Battle Against Asian Couple That Owns Their Street:
More from the Presidio Terrace conflict. Both sides have lawyered up and the Presidio Terrace HOA has hired former city attorneys. The owners aren't worried, though: "While the homeowners are trying their best to persuade supervisors into scraping the tax auction, the street’s new owners Michael Cheng and Tina Lam aren’t too worried. Cheng revealed that the supervisors haven’t mentioned anything about revoking the tax sale so he’s confident that they’re “on sound legal footing.”
More from the Presidio Terrace conflict. Both sides have lawyered up and the Presidio Terrace HOA has hired former city attorneys. The owners aren't worried, though: "While the homeowners are trying their best to persuade supervisors into scraping the tax auction, the street’s new owners Michael Cheng and Tina Lam aren’t too worried. Cheng revealed that the supervisors haven’t mentioned anything about revoking the tax sale so he’s confident that they’re “on sound legal footing.”
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
The Commons — Nightingale Housing
The Commons — Nightingale Housing:
Last week I spoke at a conference in Australia where the developers of this project, The Commons, told us about it. Amazing in many ways. No car parking, for example. Why waste money building an underground garage when in five years people will not need parking, because they will get around in driverless electric cars that are shared and park themselves elsewhere after they drop you off at home or work?
Last week I spoke at a conference in Australia where the developers of this project, The Commons, told us about it. Amazing in many ways. No car parking, for example. Why waste money building an underground garage when in five years people will not need parking, because they will get around in driverless electric cars that are shared and park themselves elsewhere after they drop you off at home or work?
Monday, September 11, 2017
Transitioning Building Design to a Future of Compact, Driverless Cars - Urban Land Magazine
Transitioning Building Design to a Future of Compact, Driverless Cars - Urban Land Magazine:
"As soon as 2030, the trend toward fewer and smaller cars will mean a reduced need for wide roads and parking, reshaping cities and how people interact. At least that is how Ross Conway, design director and principal at Gensler, an architecture firm, conceives the future. Conway was one of several speakers at a recent parking symposium in Arlington, Texas, sponsored by several groups, including ULI North Texas."
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The only thing I disagree with here is, "as soon as 2030." This is happening right now. There are already condominium units being sold in buildings that are designed without parking lots because developers know that in five years--not 13--most of the residents won't own cars, and those that do will own driverless electric cars that drop them off at home and then drive off to park themselves in a big lot away from from prime real estate. That is, they will park themselves when they aren't off Ubering around making money for the owner.
"As soon as 2030, the trend toward fewer and smaller cars will mean a reduced need for wide roads and parking, reshaping cities and how people interact. At least that is how Ross Conway, design director and principal at Gensler, an architecture firm, conceives the future. Conway was one of several speakers at a recent parking symposium in Arlington, Texas, sponsored by several groups, including ULI North Texas."
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The only thing I disagree with here is, "as soon as 2030." This is happening right now. There are already condominium units being sold in buildings that are designed without parking lots because developers know that in five years--not 13--most of the residents won't own cars, and those that do will own driverless electric cars that drop them off at home and then drive off to park themselves in a big lot away from from prime real estate. That is, they will park themselves when they aren't off Ubering around making money for the owner.
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