Office-to-Apartment Conversions – A Good Idea, but Tricky to Pull Off (Audio)
South Carolina Abandoned Building Incentives at Risk of Going Away
Ethics Laws and the Importance of Transparency for Public Officials
Transbay Tower Groundbreaking
The ‘fundamental aim’ of the Green Belt as stated in the NPPF is urban containment. The NPPF contains strong protections by imposing strict tests to be met before Green Belt land can be released for development....more
To accelerate redevelopment of aged and dilapidated buildings in Hong Kong, the Government enacted the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 on 25 July 2024....more
City of Los Angeles - Increase to Planning Applications and Affordable Housing Linkage Fees - On July 1, 2024, the fee for planning and land use applications increased by 3.5% based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban...more
The end of June saw the D.C. Council pass the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act of 2024 and the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act of 2024. The 2025 budget includes the “Central Washington Activation Conversion Program...more
On May 20, 2024, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed into law S.1021, a new law that extends and increases tax credits available to taxpayers who rehabilitate or renovate an existing, abandoned building. The new law...more
The Georgia Brownfield Association (GBA) held its 10th annual Brownfield Seminar on April 9th, bringing together leaders from the legal, engineering, and government sectors who share an interest in furthering the...more
Welcome to Construction & Claims, a periodic digest of the headlines, statutory and regulatory changes and court cases involving construction news, claims, bid protests, contract administration and payment-related disputes....more
In 2023, the New York City Industrial Development Agency (NYCIDA), in partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), introduced a new tax incentive program known as the Manhattan Commercial...more
In February 2024, the Arlington County Board is expected to advertise significant changes to Arlington planning and zoning approval practices. In the second phase of the Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative (CMRI), the...more
Florida was hit by Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricane Nicole in November 2022, both of which caused severe damage to various parts of the state. In response to these disasters, the Florida Legislature enacted...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: With the cooperation of federal agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), the White House has established plans to use grants and...more
As commercial real estate markets across the U.S. cope with rising costs and slowing demand, Florida has been a rare bright spot. The Sunshine State has welcomed a record number of people and businesses in recent years, and...more
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a financing tool used by local governments to fund economic development projects. In Florida, TIF is most commonly associated with Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), which have statutory...more
While some developers are dragged reluctantly into redeveloping brownfields, others actively pursue these environmentally impacted properties in recognition of the advantages they can provide under the right circumstances....more
Today Governor Maura Healy signed legislation extending the eligibility deadlines for the Massachusetts Brownfields tax credits program by five years. The legislation had been included in the budget bill, which had recently...more
A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco San Francisco isn’t doomed. These 6 places show why (S.F. Chronicle): The City is not without its current challenges but, for most of...more
At the June 13, 2023 Board of Supervisors hearing, the “Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse and Downtown Economic Revitalization” legislation was introduced. The legislation would amend various Planning Code sections to...more
Redevelopment agencies (RDAs) have held a rather infamous position in California history. While originally created to address urban decay (aka “blight”), generally speaking, RDAs developed into entities that wielded the...more
This week a bill was introduced in the Alabama Legislature which would expand the state’s Brownfield Redevelopment and Voluntary Cleanup Program through the implementation of new features aimed to increase participation in...more
Justices Strike Down Tax Assessed on Capital Gain from Sale of Exempt Urban Redevelopment Project, a Win for Massachusetts Urban Redevelopment and Affordable Housing - On Friday, March 10, 2023, the Supreme Judicial Court...more
The Huntington Town Board is currently seeking input from residents, businesses and others for a new plan for the redevelopment of the Melville Employment Center (“MEC”). The new plan will build upon a prior plan that was...more
The last year has seen a huge amount of change, both politically and economically, which has also been reflected in a constant array of new government policies. What is coming down the line in terms of new legislation in 2023...more
Two state bills may mean new housing in commercial corridors Bullet The Mercury News – August 30 In another effort to ease California’s housing crunch, state lawmakers this week pushed through two bills making it easier to...more
In a decision and order issued June 27, 2022, Justice Consuelo Mallafre Menendez of the New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, dismissed the challenge to the Gowanus Neighborhood Rezoning filed by the Voice of Gowanus...more
The exact number of brownfield sites in the United States is not known. Some sources estimate the number at more than 450,000, amounting to more than five million total acres of land. One report estimated that U.S. cities...more