Category Archives: Politics

Bend Over NJ

Posted on November 3, 2015 by grim

From the Star Ledger: N.J. taxes second-worst in U.S., Forbes says New Jerseyans already know it to be true, but a Forbes analysis of state-by-state tax burdens places the Garden State near the top of its “Worst States for Taxes” … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 93 Comments

Weekend Legal Discussion – Hospitals should pay property taxes

Posted on October 24, 2015 by grim

For the lawyers, from Lexology: Pretty sure that hospitals and doctors don’t need to have subsidized property taxes. New Jersey Tax Court decision may signal a troubling trend in challenges to non-profit entitie The New Jersey Tax Court’s decision in … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 39 Comments

GSE Reform Dead

Posted on October 21, 2015 by grim

From HousingWire: GSE leadership no longer expecting reform The government-sponsored enterprises are getting back to their core mission, shaking the idea that a resolution to conservatorship is just around the corner and reshaping their business models to reduce risk to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Recovery, Politics, Risky Lending | 84 Comments

Shocker – Not foreclosing on delinquent homes means high delinquencies

Posted on August 18, 2015 by grim

From the Star Ledger: N.J. has highest rate of distressed mortgages in nation, study shows A greater share of residential mortgages in New Jersey were distressed at the end of the second quarter of this year than any other state … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Politics, Risky Lending | 64 Comments

Don’t you worry about those unintended consequences

Posted on August 3, 2015 by grim

From NJ Spotlight: REPORT: FORECLOSURES, EMPTY HOMES STILL DRAGGING DOWN NEWARK’S ECONOMY Baraka’s response – a plan for eminent-domain acquisition of inflated mortgages in two ‘model neighborhoods’ – may be needed citywide. A new report finds foreclosures and housing vacancies … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Mortgages, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Risky Lending | 146 Comments

Vote for Christie – Get a Tunnel

Posted on July 25, 2015 by grim

From the NYT: Chris Christie Claims He Will Pursue the Trans-Hudson Tunnel Project as President Several days of severe delays for rail commuters trying to cross the Hudson River this week has been a painful reminder of the deteriorating state … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, NYC, Politics | 51 Comments

HUD to tell you who you are permitted to live next to

Posted on July 9, 2015 by grim

From HousingWire: HUD’s social engineering is coming to your neighborhood Look out American neighborhoods, you’re about to get engineered good and hard. Why? Because market pricing is now considered discrimination. In fact, any neighborhood that doesn’t meet with the approval … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 132 Comments

Sitting on your ass not a viable economic strategy?

Posted on June 13, 2015 by grim

From Bloomberg: New Jersey, You Should’ve Built That Tunnel There are lots of reasons for bondholders to love Colorado and show no respect for New Jersey. Here’s a big one: infrastructure. Colorado made a huge investment in it and is … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 28 Comments

Clinton did it…

Posted on June 10, 2015 by grim

From the WSJ (Hat tip Moose): They Put a Face on the ’90s Homeownership Push. Then They Lost Their Home This month marks 20 years since President Bill Clinton unveiled his “National Homeownership Strategy,” a 100-point action plan that put … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Bubble, National Real Estate, Politics, Risky Lending | 104 Comments

3 New North Jersey Casinos to Save AC

Posted on June 2, 2015 by grim

From the Star Ledger: Lawmakers now want 3 casinos in northern N.J. Several state lawmakers who want to allow casino gambling outside of Atlantic City are now seeking as many as three casinos in northern New Jersey — up from … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, New Development, Politics, Property Taxes | 181 Comments

How to improve the NJ economy? Remove building restrictions.

Posted on May 27, 2015 by grim

From HousingWire: Housing in places like New York, San Francisco fail more than just the locals Significant restrictions on housing polices in three American cities significantly curtailed the economic growth of this country in the last half-century. That’s right, if … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, NYC, Politics | 165 Comments

Shut up and pay me…

Posted on April 29, 2015 by grim

From the Star Ledger: 7 of the 10 counties in America with the highest property taxes are in N.J., study says It’s no secret that New Jersey homeowners are hit with some of the highest property taxes in the nation. … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 76 Comments

Montclair council votes to change government to fascist dictatorship

Posted on April 3, 2015 by grim

From the Patch: Montclair Debates ‘Redevelopment’ at Lackawanna Plaza he plan to redevelop Lackawanna Plaza marches ahead, but what the final vision will end up looking like is still up for debate. During a public workshop held on Monday, representatives … Continue reading →

Posted in New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 83 Comments

COAH dead – but is there any alternative?

Posted on March 11, 2015 by grim

From NJ Spotlight: COAH IS HISTORY: STATE’S TOP COURT DECLARES TROUBLED AGENCY ‘MORIBUND’ Declaring New Jersey’s affordable housing process “nonfunctioning,” the state Supreme Court on Tuesday removed from the executive branch jurisdiction over low- and moderate-income housing and sent it … Continue reading →

Posted in New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 56 Comments

It ain’t fair

Posted on March 6, 2015 by grim

I don’t know who Lawrence Uniglicht is, but he nailed it this morning. Posted in full, from the Daily Record’s Letters section: Feds owe New Jersey more than they’re paying Why is New Jersey jumping through hoops to balance its … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Politics, Property Taxes, Unrest | 98 Comments