Trump takes aim at State Farm, the Justice Department fights for natural gas appliances, and a mural that memorializes a crime victim is denounced as “divisive.” From the wild and wooly world of real estate, here are our Hits and Misses for the week of March 30-April 3.
Hit: A Long Overdue Criticism. We could fill this entire column with President Trump’s activities this week. But if there was one story that stands out, it would be his open criticism of insurance companies in general and State Farm in particular for their handling of claims filed by homeowners impacted in last year’s Los Angeles County wildfires. “State Farm, and others, should get their act together, and treat people fairly,” said the president on social media, adding that his administration was “looking into this matter as we speak!” Considering the extraordinary lack of progress on rebuilding the fire-damaged areas, Trump’s comments should hopefully give this effort a much-needed jump start.
Hit: A Gassy Situation. Pam Bondi is no longer running the Department of Justice (DOJ), but she deserves praise having her agency sue the government in Morris Township, New Jersey, over its ordinance that bans the use of natural gas, propane gas, and fuel oil infrastructure and appliances in certain new residential construction. According to the lawsuit, the ordinance applies to new apartment complexes or apartment-style housing comprised of 12 or more dwelling units. The DOJ stated the ordinance runs afoul of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, in which federal energy efficiency standards preempt contradictory state and local regulations. The ordinance was passed in 2022, during the height of the Biden administration’s Green New Deal policymaking. For those who want a DOJ victory, let’s hope the judge in this case isn’t a Biden appointee!
Hit: Score One for NAR. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) enjoyed a court victory this week relating to its membership policies. A federal judge in Michigan dismissed an August 2024 lawsuit brought by three real estate professionals who claimed the organization’s rule requiring local, state and national membership to access a local multiple listing service was anticompetitive and violated antitrust laws. NAR argued in its motion to dismiss that “requiring membership in a trade association in exchange for the benefits of the association does not give rise to an antitrust claim.” Judge Jonathan Grey agreed, ruling the plaintiffs’ allegations of anticompetitive practices were “contradicted by reality.”
Miss: Oh, Make Up Your Minds! The seemingly never-ending drama over where the Chicago Bears will play in the future has irritated NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who bluntly called on the team to decide “sooner rather than later.” However, the team thumbed their nose at Goodell, with President and CEO Kevin Warren blithely insisting they will decide by “late spring, early summer.” It is difficult to ascertain what the team really wants. Warren is willing to give Illinois lawmakers until the May 31 conclusion of their legislative session to reach an agreement on property taxes for an Illinois venue, while Chairman George H. McCaskey stated it wouldn’t matter to fans if the Bears crossed the state line to play in Indiana. Considering the team hasn’t won a Super Bowl in 40 years, it is surprising either state would want them.
Hit and Miss: Pressing the Off Switch. Maine could soon become the first state to enact a temporary ban on the construction of new data centers. The Wall Street Journal reports lawmakers are considering a bill that would put a moratorium on data center construction through November 2027 while the state determines the impact such facilities would have on the electricity grid and the environment. This stoppage would impact projects of at least 20 megawatts, which is enough energy to power more than 15,000 homes. One on hand, this deserves a Hit because Maine has some of the nation’s highest electricity costs and a wave of data centers could make power generation more expensive. On the other hand, this could be a Miss because Maine isn’t exactly being overrun with data center projects, and each individual proposal could easily be judged on its own design and merit without a blanket ban.
Miss: A Tarnished Memory. Perhaps the most bizarre story this week comes from Providence, Rhode Island, regarding an outdoor mural designed to honor the memory of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death on a North Carolina train last fall. WJAR reports Mayor Brett Smiley declared the mural was “divisive and does not represent Providence,” though he never bothered to explain his reasoning. Artist Ian Gaudreau was forced to stop work when the property owner hosting the mural, a gay bar called The Dark Lady, kowtowed to Smiley’s fury and announced it would remove the work while stating it was “committed to fostering unity, safety, and care for all members of our community.” Huh? What the mayor and the gay bar owner didn’t say was that Gaudreau’s project is one of several mural tributes being created around the country in a nonprofit project that is mostly funded by Elon Musk – and we know how much progressives hate him since the 2024 election. Gaudreau, who has been subjected to vicious far-left attacks for creating the mural, was the one wise man in this story, stating, “All of this political vitriol being kicked up has removed Iryna’s humanity from her story. And I think we’d all do better to remember that.” Oh, that’s the unfinished mural in the photo at the top of this column – seriously, does that look divisive to you?
Phil Hall is editor of Weekly Real Estate News. He can be reached at [email protected].
Cover photo courtesy of Ian Gaudreau
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