Opposition to foreign condo sales raises legal questions
Did a City Council member create legal risks by suggesting the council might deny a development permit if the condos were sold to Chinese buyers?
City searches for a way to encourage affordable housing near rail stops
The council considers a bill Wednesday to give developers a break on zoning laws if they sell almost a third of their units as affordable housing.
Town Square: temporary vacation rental regulation
Two bills currently at the legislature allow transient accommodations brokers to register as tax collection agents and have explicit requirements regarding the general excise and the transient accommodations taxes. Today on Town Square we’ll consider the bills in detail.
Illegal vacation rentals harming community
In tight housing markets with low vacancy rates, any reduction in supply naturally increases rents, particularly because neither the market nor the public sector can quickly add to housing stock.
Property values soar, depleting lower-cost options
Clearly, there’s a gap in what the housing market alone will provide. And time is running out for government to build bridges.
Advocates weigh whether property tax increase could help house homeless
Instead of an across-the-board tax hike to address homelessness, Appleseed suggests raising fees for non-residents with second homes in the islands.