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Full-Text Articles in Law
Theft Of The American Dream: New York City's Third-Party Transfer Program, Joseph Mottola
Theft Of The American Dream: New York City's Third-Party Transfer Program, Joseph Mottola
St. John's Law Review
(Excerpt)
On September 5, 2018, Paul Saunders discovered a notice on the front door of his mother’s home: it stated that the property, a Brooklyn brownstone owned by the family for over forty years, now belonged to a company called Bridge Street. His mother, seventy-four-year-old retired nurse Marlene Saunders, had been notified several months earlier that her home, valued at two million dollars, was in danger of being foreclosed because she owed New York City (the “City”) $3,792 in unpaid water charges. Her son had already paid the water bill, but when he contacted the water department, he discovered that …
Property And Prosperity, A Demythifying Story, Xiaoqian Hu
Property And Prosperity, A Demythifying Story, Xiaoqian Hu
St. John's Law Review
(Excerpt)
Economic development is fundamentally a property law story. Prominent thinkers―from Adam Smith and Jeremy Bentham, to Douglass North and Richard Posner―tell us that protection of private property rights is essential for economic growth and wealth accumulation. Clear and freely alienable property rights reduce transaction costs and allow private bargaining to produce efficient results. Property rights allow owners to internalize the costs and benefits of their own behavior, reduce production costs, and encourage innovation. Secure property rights protect owners from arbitrary confiscation by the government, foster owner expectations, and facilitate investment, trade, and the development of financial markets. The idea …