• BallsandBayonets@lemmings.world
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    12 hours ago

    Even a baby step is a step in the right direction, but can we be honest with the naming here? “Mildly Inconvenience Wall Street Landlords with a Tax They will pass on to their Renters Act” is more wordy, but tells you everything you need to know.

  • Sabata@ani.social
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    12 hours ago

    “Here’s $5000 and a week at my private ski resort. Your voting no.”

  • LostMyRedditLogin@lemmy.world
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    23 hours ago

    They shouldn’t even be able to buy single family homes. They’re buying houses all over the world raising house prices. They belong in the trash with Airbnb.

    • SirEDCaLot
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      12 hours ago

      There are a few, limited, cases where they should be able to. For example, if they have operations in an area that has frequent medium term employees coming in and out. It’s valid for them to say we will offer you a house for the time you are here. But I would generally agree there is no reason for an investment company to be investing in single-family homes. It’s good for the investment company, bad for society.

  • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Raise taxes? They’ll just pass the cost on to the renters. We need to forbid then from buying houses.

    • orcrist@lemm.ee
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      1 hour ago

      Your analysis is missing half the story. This setup would encourage local property ownership. They would undercut the corporations. We might see increased competition and therefore lower prices as a result.

      I agree with you, though. A strong solution is better.

    • reddit_sux@lemmy.world
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      23 hours ago

      Yes beyond a limit that property would be unrentable due to high rent. Then since the property owner still would have to pay taxes on the property he might sell it.

      That is if the law is properly worded and properly applied.

  • comador @lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    FFS. How about just deny the purchase of single family homes by all businesses altogether?

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      Passing tax law is firmly in Congress’ remit. Telling corporations what they can and cannot buy is a whole lot stickier. The former is far easier.

      • orcrist@lemm.ee
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        1 hour ago

        Right. And tax fraud is a crime, so then could be massively fined or locked up for it.

      • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
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        21 hours ago

        Sounds perfect, do it. I wanna see your income statement when you own 20 apartments.

        • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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          7 hours ago

          Not only would it make sense for each of the shell people to have the income on their own tax statements when running that sort of subsidizing loan operation, but its actually got fiscal incentive to be done that way because it puts them in lower brackets.

          Plus, given the number of foreign owners invested in US properties, it would be difficult or possibly even impossible to charge and expedite them for tax evasion given the tightly constrained budget of the IRS and therefor their inability to go after people without a gaurantee they can earn more back than they spend on the court proceedings.

        • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          Don’t remember what the business was but there have been cases of businesses using individuals names on paperwork, saying they own the business, but that person has zero responsibility and gets no pay for it. Probably it was on an episode of Last Week Tonight.

    • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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      1 day ago

      You can’t deny the purchase of a single family home from a person and businesses are people in this upside down country

        • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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          10 hours ago

          Just because California’s cool doesn’t mean the entire country gets to benefit. And until Citizens United at least gets weekend, then we’ve got fucking corporations with an equal or stronger voice than humans dying on the streets from heat stroke

          ETA: I was obviously really tired and not thinking when I wrote this. I’d edit it, but I like to own up to my mistakes. Have a great weakened, everyone!

          • comador @lemmy.world
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            7 hours ago

            I didn’t downvote you for your response, but also didn’t feel the need to explain it further.

            To add to it however, a proposed bill in Minnesota’s Senate would ban the conversion of single-family ownership housing into rental housing.

            In the US Congress, legislation has also been introduced to prohibit hedge funds from owning single-family homes.

            Progress is slow, but it’s happening.

            • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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              7 hours ago

              You’re making very valid points and I appreciate your optimism. I’m just being a sarcastic, salty little baby about shit cuz I’m in a mood about all this.

    • DrPop@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      This is specifically about corporations owning private property. Fuck landlords but i’d rather rent from a private citizen than an llc.

      • iknowitwheniseeit@lemmynsfw.com
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        14 hours ago

        Meh. I had much better luck with corporations than private landlords. The people working for corporations generally want to do a good job and keep people happy. Owners want to minimize costs and invade your privacy to make sure you aren’t causing too much wear and tear, since that’s money otherwise going in their pocket.

        Both will end up with shitty carpet and cheap appliances, of course.

        • Betazed@lemmy.sdf.org
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          14 hours ago

          I agree for the most part. I do think that the businesses that provide/manage properties should be public benefit corporations or whatever the local equivalent is. Housing is an essential human need. In an ideal scenario, profit wouldn’t even be a factor, but I’d settle for it not being the first priority.

          • iknowitwheniseeit@lemmynsfw.com
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            13 hours ago

            I totally agree. In Holland we have woon corporaties, literally “companies for places to live”. Of course, these have struggled in the face of decades of center right, pro-business governmental policies.

      • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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        14 hours ago

        That “probably” is just based on complete ignorance. Don’t just throw out nonsense like this, especially when you have no idea.

          • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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            2 hours ago

            Yes, because I called out your ignorance, that clearly means I must have rich overlords. Lol This is some batty ass shit.

      • Betazed@lemmy.sdf.org
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        13 hours ago

        I’m not so sure. The knee-jerk reaction of the cynic in me is to agree with you, but I actually think it’s fairly unlikely that they own rental properties specifically. Many, if not most, probably own multiple properties as rich people are wont to do but, I would imagine that most of those are just “summer homes” or similar rather than something that is rented out as a “landlord” in the way most people think of it. It is possible that they could be investors in these funds, REITs, or other such vehicles which would make them indirect owners of these items.

  • henfredemars@infosec.pub
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    1 day ago

    Not a chance this bill passes considering most of congress stands to benefit from not passing it.

    I really hope it sends a message though.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Sometimes you need a few good Congress critters to up the idea on the table.

      Too many people don’t even know what is possible

    • Asafum@feddit.nl
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      1 day ago

      Fucking seriously… I’m expecting some absolutely absurd numbers like (don’t check my math) D200 No D11 Yes R All No

      :(

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Good, but the damage is done, and they can afford those taxes which will only get caught on the backend resale.

    They need to be forced to divest immediately to do any real good.