WHO RENTS AMERICA? OWNERS, TENANTS, AND TAXES

The American bias that privileges owners over tenants has its roots in early US history, in the colonial practices of limiting suffrage to property owners, and in the formation of a Constitution that protected the propertied minority from the propertyless majority. While the property test for suffrage eventually disappeared, the property bias persists, just as other barriers of gender, national origin, poverty, religion and race remain pervasive in our society. The impacts of this bias are felt not only by tenants but also by their landlords and is exercised through community organizations dominated by owners as well as common practices of zoning and tax policy. Three recent property tax bills of the New Jersey legislature illuminate the tenuous status of renters in tax policy. Even the most cursory review of recent survey data reveals the degree to which the stigma of rentership is inappropriate. This paper argues that America's renters are its owners too, and planners should foster policies that enforce greater equity among renters and owners.Right of property--Economic aspects--United States, Landlord and tenant--United States, Real property tax--United States, Rental housing--United States, Land Economics/Use,

Who rents America? : owners, tenants, and taxes

iv, 14 p.The American bias that privileges owners over tenants has its roots in early US history, in the colonial practices of limiting suffrage to property owners, and in the formation of a Constitution that protected the propertied minority from the propertyless majority. While the property test for suffrage eventually disappeared, the property bias persists, just as other barriers of gender, national origin, poverty, religion and race remain pervasive in our society. The impacts of this bias are felt not only by tenants but also by their landlords and is exercised through community organizations dominated by owners as well as common practices of zoning and tax policy. Three recent property tax bills of the New Jersey legislature illuminate the tenuous status of renters in tax policy. Even the most cursory review of recent survey data reveals the degree to which the stigma of rentership is inappropriate. This paper argues that America's renters are its owners too, and planners should foster policies that enforce greater equity among renters and owners

WHO RENTS AMERICA? OWNERS, TENANTS, AND TAXES

The American bias that privileges owners over tenants has its roots in early US history, in the colonial practices of limiting suffrage to property owners, and in the formation of a Constitution that protected the propertied minority from the propertyless majority. While the property test for suffrage eventually disappeared, the property bias persists, just as other barriers of gender, national origin, poverty, religion and race remain pervasive in our society. The impacts of this bias are felt not only by tenants but also by their landlords and is exercised through community organizations dominated by owners as well as common practices of zoning and tax policy. Three recent property tax bills of the New Jersey legislature illuminate the tenuous status of renters in tax policy. Even the most cursory review of recent survey data reveals the degree to which the stigma of rentership is inappropriate. This paper argues that America's renters are its owners too, and planners should foster policies that enforce greater equity among renters and owners

Bombs and Butterflies: A Case Study of the Challenges of Post Cold War Environmental Planning and Management for the US Nuclear Weapons Sites

When the cold war ended, the United States stopped developing,testing and building nuclear weapons at nearly all of its former nuclear weapon sites. The Department of Energy (DoE) began a massive environmental remediation programme, which includes engaging surrounding communities in a future land use planning process. Using the Savannah River site as an example, we show that this process faces large obstacles, especially a legacy of mistrust of the DoE and organizational limitations at the federal and local government scales. These hinder open dialogue about future land use. The authors suggest three planning principles for future land use planning and organizational issues that must be addressed before these can be fruitfully explored.