Obama administration releases “Housing Development Toolkit” to lower barriers to new housing

Editor’s Note: The Housing Development Toolkit is available here.

From: The Architects Newspaper

By

The White House has published the “Housing Development Toolkit” in a bid to allow cities meet housing demands. The paper derides the current zoning laws and red tape that stand in the way of authorities building housing, thus leading to economic inequality and high rents that take a toll on the U.S. economy.

Advocating increased density (which will mean more tall buildings), faster paths to construction, and fewer zoning barriers, the toolkit will not be welcome among NIMBY protestors. However, developers, mayors, and builders may think differently. The paper outlines “actions that states and local jurisdictions have taken to promote healthy, responsive, affordable, high-opportunity housing markets,” including:

The Administration’s Report on the Future of Artificial Intelligence

From: The White House

by Ed Felton and Terah Lyons

Summary: A new report from the Administration focuses on the opportunities, considerations, and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Under President Obama’s leadership, America continues to be the world’s most innovative country, with the greatest potential to develop the industries of the future and harness science and technology to help address important challenges. Over the past 8 years, President Obama has relentlessly focused on building U.S. capacity in science and technology. This Thursday, President Obama will host the White House Frontiers Conference in Pittsburgh to imagine the Nation and the world in 50 years and beyond, and to explore America’s potential to advance towards the frontiers that will make the world healthier, more prosperous, more equitable, and more secure. 

Fall 2016 Projects (ACUS Update)

From: Notice & Comment |A Blog from the Yale Journal on Regulation and the ABA Section of Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice

by Emily Bremer

This fall, the Administrative Conference’s committees are working on a full slate of projects targeted for completion at the 66th Plenary Session, which will be held in December 2016.  These projects include: (1) The Ombudsman in Federal Agencies; (2) Informal Agency Adjudication; (3) Public-Private Partnerships; (4) Self-Represented Parties in Administrative Hearings; and (5) Social Security Administration Federal Courts Analysis.  A description and summary of all information available about each of these projects is provided below.

How Should “Administrative Law” Be Taught Today? The Federalist Society Podcast

Editor’s Note: See, CRE’s letter to the ABA here and see the meeting Agenda of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar which includes CRE’s recommendation.  

From: The Federalist Society

Administrative Law & Regulation Practice Group Podcast

Featuring Adam J. White, Jim Tozzi, Daniel Farber,Kristin Hickman

October 13, 2016

Listen to Podcast here

The growing role of the administrative agencies in American government is mirrored by a growing role of administrative law in legal education. The trend is exemplified by many law schools’ introduction of “Legislation and Regulation” (or “Leg-Reg”) as a first-year course.

A New President Needs a New Red Tape Agenda

From: Inside Sources

by

Federal regulators issue thousands of rules and regulations every year. Decrees range from the Environmental Protection Agency’s gargantuan Clean Power Plan and “Waters of the United States” directives, down to regulations on breath mint serving sizes and multivitamins with selenium being treated as toxic waste.

***

The Reagan order required that the benefits of new major regulations outweigh the costs. The order also formalized White House Office of Management and Budget “audit” responsibilities. Today, that basic process still exists, but subsequent executive orders “reaffirm(ed) the primacy of Federal agencies in the regulatory decision-making process” — in other words, weakening central White House review. A new president could restore that authority and boost OMB’s oversight resources.