Matthew Schafer, et al. v. Kent County, MI
Holding Michigan counties accountable to stop home equity theft
A court decision's date doesn't dictate the beginning or end of property rights. The Michigan Supreme Court in Rafaeli and the U.S. Supreme Court in Tyler v. Hennepin County both recognized that property interests at stake in government tax foreclosures are deeply rooted and pre-exist state law. Property cannot be taken without just compensation, n ...
835 Hinesburg Road, LLC v. South Burlington
Fighting to Open Courtroom Doors to Property Takings Claims
With their property rights relegated to second-class status, Jeff Nick, along with his son Ryan, and Jeff Davis are fighting back. Represented at no charge by Pacific Legal Foundation, they're appealing their case's unjust dismissal to ensure federal court access for takings claims and ultimately the right to productively use their property. ...
Mike Bordelon and Breezy Shores, LLC v. Baldwin County
Government reneges on building permit, unlawfully strips property rights
Mike is defending his lower court win. Represented at no charge by PLF and local attorney Kris Anderson of Yates Anderson, Mike is asking the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to protect his rightful just compensation, to affirm regulatory takings as unlawful property takings, and to elevate all courts' respect for property rights. ...
Ariyan Inc. v. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans
Fighting for timely just compensation for government-damaged property
Hemorrhaging money and time, and unable to repair their properties or restore their businesses, these small businesses and property owners are asking the Supreme Court to confirm their constitutional right to reasonably timely just compensation. ...
Hall v. Meisner
Michigan families fight to close state’s home equity theft loophole
When Tawanda and Prentiss Hall fell behind on their property taxes, they did what many financially strapped homeowners do: set up a payment plan with the local government. They didn't want to lose the Southfield, Michigan home where they lived with their children. The Oakland County treasurer ended the plan, however, with the tax debt standing a ...
Iten v. County of Los Angeles
Small commercial landlord fights Los Angeles County eviction ban
Howard Iten is a retired auto mechanic who greatly depends on rental income from his one commercial property in Lawndale, California. His current tenant, however, is an auto repair franchisee who has refused to pay much of his rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though his business has been fully open the entire time. He owes Howard thousands o ...
El Papel v. City of Seattle
Fighting unlawful eviction bans masked as a pandemic response
In the wake of COVID-19, Washington State and Seattle joined a number of cities and states to enact emergency eviction bans that eliminated landlords' ability to evict tenants who violate lease terms, such as by neglecting to pay their rent. Seattle added an ordinance that prohibits landlords from seeking full repayment for up to a year from the em ...
Shands v. City of Marathon
Government takes family’s land and uses gimmicks to avoid paying for it
The Shands family has owned Shands Key, a small Florida island, since the 1950s. Purchased by World War II surgeon and Mississippi hospital owner Dr. R.E. Shands, the island was originally zoned for residential use and could have been developed with at least seven homes. Today, however, government regulations designed to protect the environment pro ...
Pavlock v. Indiana
Family sues to stop Indiana’s beachfront land grab
The Pavlock family has owned property along Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline for generations. Last year, a ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court redefined state law to move lakefront owners' property lines from the water's edge or below to the lake's ordinary high-water mark, turning large swaths of private beach into public property without compens ...