The Reineckes won their permit—but the fight to restore Americans’ property rights goes on

In the past decade, the median home price in the United States has increased by more than 40 percent, and recent estimates show that America has a shortage of between 1.5 million and 6.5 million homes.

Experts increasingly agree that the housing crisis stems from a lack of new construction, but onerous—and often unconstitutional—land-use regulations make it more difficult and more expensive to build.

Worse still, local officials in some housing-crunched communities are openly hostile to new development proposals.

At a City Council hearing in July, Laguna Beach Mayor Alex Rounaghi brazenly admitted that City officials “looked at every single possible way” to block the permitting of Steve and Karen Reinecke’s accessory dwelling unit—also known as a “granny flat.”

Spoiler alert: The Reineckes recently sent us the photo above, proudly holding the permit that the Laguna Beach City Council reluctantly granted after we filed suit earlier this year.

Fighting back against government overreach—like what the Reineckes experienced—is often cost-prohibitive for the average American and can take years, even decades, to litigate.

Thanks to the trust and support of our donors, we’re able to relieve our clients of the burden of attorneys’ fees. But the cost of restoring their rights—in time, energy, and mental fortitude—remains high.

Now, Steve and Karen can move forward with their plans to build a small addition on their property—adding desperately needed housing to their community and securing a safe haven for family members and caretakers as they age.

But protecting the right to build for all Americans is an ongoing fight.

Thank you for standing with us.

Please consider supporting PLF today and join us in the fight to liberate Americans from unconstitutional property rights restrictions.