Housing

Community Group Modifies Lawsuit in Marinwood Affordable Housing Dispute, Drops Developers Amid Legal Risk Concerns

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Marinwood, CA — A local community group has withdrawn its complaint against developers of an affordable housing project at Marinwood Plaza, shifting the focus of their legal challenge solely toward Marin County. The Marinwood Coalition Against Segregation initially included both the county and the developers, Marinwood Propco Limited Partnership and Lee Hoyt, in their lawsuit. The decision to dismiss the developers as defendants underscores the complexities and uncertainties surrounding litigation under new state housing laws. The project planned for Marinwood Plaza intends to construct 125 affordable apartments across four three-story buildings, a development that received … Read more

Wrentham Battles State in Court Over Multi-Family Housing Mandate, Citing Unfunded Burdens

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Wrentham, Mass. — The small town of Wrentham, Massachusetts, has initiated legal proceedings against the state with concerns over a law mandating municipalities connected to the MBTA to create zoning districts for extensive multi-family housing development. This law insists on the designation for at least 750 units, prompting substantial debate regarding local infrastructure and state support. Town officials announced on Thursday that a lawsuit was filed in Superior Court as a measure they deem both financially prudent and necessary to challenge the state’s demands. This legal push seeks to secure crucial fiscal data relating to … Read more

California’s Bold Housing Laws Struggle to Spark Construction, Finds Nonprofit Report

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Sacramento, Calif. — Recent legislative efforts in California aimed at increasing housing construction across the state have not delivered the desired results, according to a report by YIMBY Law, a pro-development nonprofit focused on housing issues. The organization evaluated the effectiveness of five state laws enacted since 2021 designed to boost residential development through various means such as transforming vacant commercial sites and underutilized church parking lots into housing. These initiatives included progressive approaches like converting defunct shopping centers into residential apartments and relaxing zoning laws that traditionally limited many areas to single-family homes. However, … Read more

Trump Administration Cuts Grants for Housing Discrimination Enforcement, Raising Concerns Amid Rising Complaints

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Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration has initiated the process of terminating funding for several nonprofit organizations dedicated to enforcing the Fair Housing Act, sending ripples of concern across communities that rely on these services to fight housing discrimination. The affected grants, issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), support private nonprofits that play a critical role in upholding the federal anti-discrimination law established in 1968. These organizations are instrumental in educating the public about their rights, conducting undercover tests for racial discrimination by landlords, investigating complaints, resolving disputes, and sometimes … Read more