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Policy tools remediate vacant buildings and utilize vacant lands. Most strategies implement a surtax/surcharge on vacant property to incentivize its rehabilitation or sale. Washington DC significantly increased taxes on vacant and blighted properties (per $100 of assessed value: standard $0.85; vacant $5.00; blighted $10.00). In Baltimore, following enabling legislation by the state, the city will triple or quadruple tax rates for vacant properties the longer they remain vacant. Montana passed 2025 legislation that reduces property taxes on primary residences and increases taxes on second homes and short-term rentals. Pennsylvania uniquely adopted a split-rate land value tax system, allowing municipalities to tax land at a higher rate than buildings. [CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance]
Are unattainable home prices fueling investor activity in rentals? "As homeownership becomes less attainable and less central to wealth creation, the rental market stands out as a resilient and attractive opportunity for investors," according to JP Morgan analysts. They note 2025 home prices are up 60% nationwide from 2019, reducing the demand for homeownership and spiking demand in the rental market, thus raising appeal to investors. Also noteworthy: the shift in demand is not driven by consumer preference, but market scarcity. [JP Morgan]
Delaware's digital process aims to streamline tenancy approval for voucher holders. Landlords can now complete an online Request for Tenancy Approval. Delaware State Housing Authority Director Matt Heckles told DE Public Radio, "We’re streamlining that relationship by having the request for tenancy approval be submitted by the landlord electronically, reviewed by the public housing authority that issued that voucher, and approved also electronically." [DSHA]
Santa Fe ties its minimum wage to housing costs. The New Mexico city of approximately 90,000 passed a measure to adjust future minimum wage increases to the Consumer Price Index and cost of housing, specifically fair market rents, which are adjusted annually by HUD. [AP]
New York converts first hotel to affordable and supportive housing. The JFK Hilton converted into 318 affordable and supportive apartments with a suite of on-site supportive services available to formerly homeless households. The conversion was enabled by 2 state laws: First, the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (S.5257C; 2021) created a program enabling the state to finance the rehabilitation of distressed hotels and offices for conversion to permanent affordable housing to be owned by nonprofit organizations. Second, S.4937C (2022) exempts Class B hotels converting to permanent housing from undergoing potentially costly land use review processes if located in or near a residential zoning district. [6sqft]
Maryland's plan to rehabilitate 5,000 vacant properties yields first project. The Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative allocated $50 million to support these conversions. A nonprofit organization recently renovated 11 of 20 vacant homes, and sold 2 of them. The state is tracking progress towards its goal via public dashboard with real-time data. [WYPR]
Massachusetts' AG releases new Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights. "This guide discusses forming rental agreements and leases, types of tenancies, payments, evictions, habitable living conditions, housing discrimination, and methods for resolving conflicts between landlords and tenants," she writes. [mass.gov]
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