News & Publications

On April 14, 2021, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of five landlords against Attorney General Letitia James ("AG James") in the Eastern District of New York (Chrysafis, et al. v. James, Case No. 2:21-cv-00998-JS-ARL). As we highlighted in our March 4, 2021 alert, the suit challenged Part A of New York's COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 (the "Act") on constitutional free speech and due process grounds. While the legislation also halts residential [...]

The California Court of Appeal has delivered a victory to Holland & Knight clients Ruegg & Ellsworth and Frank Spenger Company, as well as to housing advocates across the state, in a landmark opinion on the state's new housing laws. In Ruegg & Ellsworth v. City of Berkeley (2021) ___ Cal.App.5th ____, the Court of Appeal agreed with Holland & Knight's arguments that state laws intended to limit local opposition to housing must be interpreted broadly, rather [...]

Yesterday the Los Angeles City Council adopted a motion entitled Building a Safer Los Angeles ("Motion") that would significantly expand the fire rating requirements for new buildings and restrict the use of light wood-frame construction throughout large parts of the City of Los Angeles.  The Motion is broadly written and, contrary to some reports in the press, it does not call for exemptions based on building size or square footage. In summary, the Motion directs City staff [...]