The commercial real estate industry is increasingly adopting proptech to unearth savings and business insights. But companies need to be careful. Security and privacy are two foundational components of a successful data analytics initiative. Ensuring the information is stored securely while adhering to the complex framework of privacy laws will…
Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (8/25/21)
Diversity and inclusion efforts increase in the infrastructure industry, a recent United Nations report on climate change highlights its potential effects on real estate, construction projects fall behind schedule due to labor shortages, and more. Transportation agencies and industry experts strive to make the infrastructure workplace more inclusive through diversity…
Still Going, After All This Time: the Sacketts, EPA and the Clean Water Act
On August 16, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the lower court’s ruling that the Idaho property of Michael and Chantell Sackett was a regulated wetlands under the then-controlling 1977 EPA rules defining “waters of the United States,” and that the Sacketts dredging and filling…
Proposed Bill Provides a New Federal Tax Credit for the Conversion of Office Buildings
At the end of July 2021, a bill was introduced in the House and Senate, which, if enacted, would create a federal tax credit to fund the conversion of unused office buildings into residential, commercial, or mixed-use properties. The Revitalizing Downtowns Act (S. 2511), which is modeled after the federal…
Breaking Down the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
On August 10, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a mammoth $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that includes spending for roads, bridges, electric vehicles, broadband, water infrastructure, and grid resilience, among other priorities. In “Senate Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package, Tees up $3.5 Trillion Budget…
State-Level Permitting Primacy May Boost Carbon Capture and Storage
Texas and Louisiana are stepping up efforts to assume regulatory authority for an emerging wave of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects. Despite carbon sequestration being highly touted as a key tool to mitigate climate change, few commercial CCS projects have been permitted in the United States. Texas and Louisiana…
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (8/11/21)
Proptech and office return delays continue to grow, the new infrastructure bill could track your travel data, investor activity shows an expectation that business properties will rebound after COVID-19 shutdowns, and more. The Tel Aviv and London-based startup Buildots leverages the power of AI to modernize the construction management industry.…
New York Climate Mobilization Act Update: Reducing Carbon Emissions and Funding Solutions
In our June 16 CMA Update, we discussed how the New York City Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) will affect building owners and the market for CMBS mortgage loans (loans pooled and resold as commercial mortgage-backed securities). (For more information on C-PACE financing, see Sustainable Buildings and Development: Carbon Emissions and…
Takeaways for Contractors and Subcontractors Take Heed: Biden Administration Buy American Domestic Content Requirements
In Biden Administration Proposes Significant Increases to Buy American Domestic Content Requirements – Takeaways for Contractors and Subcontractors, colleagues Nancy A. Fischer, Stephan E. Becker, David B. Dixon, Marques O. Peterson, Benjamin J. Cote and Moushami P. Joshi provide the key takeaways derived from proposed changes affecting the construction industry.
Apportionment of Sales Tax on Software Through General Abatement Process, Massachusetts High Court Approves
Software is critical for countless businesses in the real estate and construction industries. After the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s recent decision in Oracle, there may be a sales tax refund opportunity for businesses (including real estate, construction companies) that license software for use in Massachusetts and in other states. Read…