Real Estate Law Unlocked

Repositioning Downtown Washington, D.C., for Housing, Growth and Investment

Major cities have been competing for residents, investment and talent by pairing bold planning with predictable rules, and the District of Columbia is no exception. Land use attorney Kyrus Freeman [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/f/freeman-kyrus-lamont] and Washington, D.C., Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert discuss how the District is working to revitalize downtown, expand housing production and use public-sector tools to attract residents, companies and investors. Ms. Albert points to D.C.'s goal of adding 15,000 downtown residents by 2028, Mayor Muriel Bowser's affordable housing investments and the Gallery Place Chinatown Task Force as examples of how targeted planning, coordinated agencies and focused regulatory reform can help transform downtown into a more active mixed-use center for housing, entertainment and economic growth.

Puntos fundamentales para los latinoamericanos que invierten en bienes raíces en Estados Unidos

Los inversionistas y desarrolladores latinoamericanos buscan la seguridad legal para acompañar las oportunidades de negocio. En este conversación, Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/d/de-las-cuevasdiaz-vivian-c], socia y sublíder de la Práctica Inmobiliaria con sede en Miami, y Esteban García-Jiméno [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/g/garcia-esteban], abogado inmobiliario con sede en Colombia, comparten sus experiencias asesorando a clientes internacionales en relación con su entrada en el mercado inmobiliario estadounidense. Explican cómo definir la estructura de inversión, negociar el letter of intent (LOI) y el contrato final, y planificar la debida diligencia de manera efectiva. Asimismo, destacan la importancia de los plazos, la financiación y el title insurance, y analizan los principales riesgos a mitigar para ayudar a los clientes a ejecutar sus planes de inversión con mayor claridad y seguridad.

Exploring California's Housing Project Entitlement Landscape

California's housing reforms have given developers new leverage, but they have not eliminated the legal and economic barriers to building homes. In this episode of "Real Estate Law Unlocked," West Coast Land Use and Environment attorney Kevin Ashe [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/a/ashe-kevin-john] speaks with his fellow land use lawyers Daniel Golub [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/g/golub-daniel-r] and Ryan Leaderman [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/l/leaderman-ryan-michael]about how state laws such as the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Housing Element Law, State Density Bonus Law and builder's remedy have reshaped the entitlement landscape. They discuss the shift from years of discretionary local approvals and "creative groveling" to a more enforceable system, while noting that fees, construction costs, replacement housing requirements and continued opposition to ministerial approvals still slow production.

Soul of the City: How Ward 8 Built Washington, D.C.'s, Newest BID

A successful business improvement district (BID) requires more than a strong vision; it needs the right mix of market conditions, political support and community trust. Land use attorney Kyrus Freeman [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/f/freeman-kyrus-lamont] and Soul of the City BID Founder Monica Ray discuss the formation of Washington, D.C.'s, 13th BID, which serves the Congress Heights, Washington Highlands and Bellevue neighborhoods in Ward 8. Ms. Ray traces the evolution of the BID from initial efforts in 2014 through growth into what it is now, plus how it received the name "Soul of the City." In doing so, she highlights the practical challenges of BID formation, including property ownership patterns, boundary decisions, petition requirements and the sustained outreach needed to persuade owners to invest in the future of their neighborhoods. This episode provides an insider perspective on community reinvestment and economic development.

U.S. Real Estate Tax Planning for Global Families

Tax structure at acquisition can determine whether a global family's U.S. real estate investment preserves value or creates avoidable exposure for years to come. Real Estate attorney Shawn Amuial [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/a/amuial-shawn-s] joins Private Wealth Services and Tax attorneys Sean Tevel [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/t/tevel-sean-j] and Logan Gans [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/g/gans-logan-e] to discuss how global families should structure U.S. real estate investments before closing. They stress that investors who buy first and seek tax advice later often find themselves facing costly – yet preventable – issues such as estate tax and Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) exposure coupled with state tax noncompliance. Proper planning, they add, turns on core facts such as residency, intended use, holding period and home jurisdiction treatment. For real estate lawyers, early coordination between transactional and tax counsel remains critical to protecting clients' assets and avoiding mistakes that are difficult to unwind.