Articles Posted in Real Estate

Posted
by

graphic, light blue scales on darker blue

What follows is a brief account of some of the notable U.S. environmental and administrative law cases recently decided.

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT

Nestle USA, Inc. et al. v. Doe, et al.
The Supreme Court has decided another important case interpreting the Alien Tort Statute. Released on June 17, 2021, this decision reverses the Ninth Circuit which had ruled that the respondents—six individuals who alleged they were child slaves employed on Ivory Coast cocoa farms, could sue the American-based companies for aiding and abetting child slave labor. Without dissent, the Court rejected this reading of the ATS and affirmed its own recent rulings on the scope of the ATS.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by

purple letters NFT connected by purple chains on black backgroundAs innovative applications with integrated smart contract functionality emerge from blockchain technology platforms, there is an expanding list of digital currencies, tokens and peer-to-peer financial products and services. Abbreviations abound. There are non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which, unlike fungible cryptocurrencies, are “one-of-a-kind’ digital assets stored on a blockchain platform, and can include images, videos, recordings, collectibles and tangible items in the physical world. There is decentralized finance (DeFi), the peer-to-peer transaction infrastructure for tokens and other software applications and contracts designed to replace traditional banking products and services and streamline transactions. Decentralized applications (dApps) are a relatively new technology similar to traditional web applications from a user perspective, but which run on distributed blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum, rather than on a single computer—dApps are typically open source, allowing software developers to improve features and functions quickly, and free from control by any single authority. Smart contract protocols permit dApps to access the blockchain platform and integrate with cryptocurrencies, NFTs and DeFi projects.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by

By using online cryptocurrency technologies like tokens and blockchains, people could participate in real estate transactions that are too unwieldy in the analog world. Soon, these technologies may let anyone with a few thousand dollars play tycoon and buy a part of a condo or iconic building.

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens—digital certificates that convey exclusive rights to something—is a new concept being applied to real estate, supporters say they will become standard in the industry.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by

GettyImages-184881962-300x200In our previous post we discussed the importance of conducting a thorough due diligence and procurement process with smart technology providers. Next up? The contract.

The price of a procured product is always important, but equally important are other contractual terms that reflect the commercial agreement. Ultimately, the contract should answer the fundamental question of “What are you buying?” The product itself is not the only feature being purchased. A customer is also buying certainty, service performance, risk mitigation, flexibility, security, compliance, and other similar “intangible” items of value.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by and

Late last week a federal district court judge for the District of Columbia held that the nationwide eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) went beyond the agency’s statutory authority and vacated it nationwide. This decision effectively expanded a similar decision by a Texas federal court last month that found the CDC’s moratorium was an improper use of federal power but limited its decision to the litigants to that case and declined to vacate the CDC order.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by and

In episode # 30 of Industry Insights podcast, Christian Salaman returns to join host Joel Simon to provide insights on the current recovery of the hospitality industry, the latest trends for owners and managers and the impact across other asset classes like senior residences and student housing.Industry_Podcast_cover-update-final-bottom Continue Reading ›

Posted
by

The Real Estate and Construction industry may be huge, but ultimately, as with all industries, it comes down to the people who help make it all come together. From time to time, we like to profile some of those people.

Nik-Bandak-RT-900-225x300Nik Bandak is the president of Bandak Project Management, a company he started in June of 2020 after a good deal of external pressure from friends, clients and his network. Nik’s career path began not long after graduating from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2008 with a degree in financial services. Nik worked in the Bay Area as a laborer, carpenter, project manager and then estimator with a concrete subcontractor. Realizing he wanted international experience, Nik moved to the United Arab Emirates to work for Bechtel on the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone. After getting engaged, Nik and his future wife, Kelly, decided to move back to Southern California where he was hired in the Construction Management division of a small San Diego-based commercial real estate firm. Nik, Kelly and their twin sons currently live in Southern California.

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by and

Industry_Podcast_cover-update-final-bottom

In episode #29 of Industry Insights podcast, Andrew Weiner joins host Joel Simon for the second episode of our two-part examination of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). In this episode, Weiner turns his attention to the unanswered questions and ambiguity underlying phrases like “beneficial owner” and “substantial control.”

Continue Reading ›

Posted
by

The Real Estate and Construction industry may be huge, but ultimately, as with all industries, it comes down to the people who help make it all come together. From time to time, we like to profile some of those people.

R-Poblete-300x171Ryley Poblete is a Senior Designer with global design and architecture firm Gensler, having spent the better part of the last decade working in the company’s Sciences Practice developing a portfolio of work centered around life sciences. An avid runner, urbanist, photographer, artist and policy enthusiast, Ryley can be found, in his spare time, “reading the newest Economist or digging into a project’s context to really define a new piece of architecture in the cities” in which he works. Asked how he’d describe his job to a layperson, Ryley adds, “I work with developers and biotech clients in planning and structuring developments to best suit their situation.”

Continue Reading ›