FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT BUILDING EXPERT
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

There’s an Unusual Thing Happening in the Housing Market

October 03, 2022 — Tracy Alloway - Bloomberg
It’s no secret that the US housing market has been softening as interest rates rise at the fastest pace in decades. Higher mortgage rates mean the dramatic growth in home prices that we’ve seen over the past two years is beginning to slow. Sales of new homes recently came in at the weakest monthly level since 2018. Meanwhile, purchase applications are down 20% year-on-year, and so on. But the rapid pace of rate hikes has also resulted in an interesting statistical anomaly. Months of supply — or the number of months it would take for the existing inventory of homes on the market to sell at the current sales pace — has jumped to 4.1 from a record low of just 2.1 back in January of this year. And, as Morgan Stanley strategist James Egan notes, rarely have we seen an increase of this size. To some extent, the jump in inventory is to be expected. It’s maths. As sales volume falls while inventories rise, months of supply naturally increases. But such a jump is intuitively striking, and the key question for housing-watchers is whether the absolute level of inventory — which is still low by many measures, even as homebuilders have ramped up construction since last year — will turn out to be more important than its rate of change. A housing market that is structurally undersupplied is going to be a lot less vulnerable to fewer sales. Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of Tracy Alloway, Bloomberg

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Trial Court’s Grant of Summary Judgment On Ground Not Asserted By Moving Party Upheld

December 17, 2015 — Laura C. Williams & R. Bryan Martin – Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP
In Marlton Recovery Partners, LLC v. County of Los Angeles, et al. (filed 11/20/15), the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, affirmed summary judgment in favor of the defendants County of Los Angeles, the County Treasurer-Tax Collector and Board of Supervisors (collectively the “County”) despite the fact summary judgment was granted on grounds not raised by the County. The Court of Appeal determined that because the plaintiff could not have shown a triable issue of material fact on the ground of law relied upon by the trial court, summary judgment was proper. In the underlying case, plaintiff sought cancellation of penalties on delinquent property taxes for 26 parcels under Revenue and Taxation Code §4985.2, which allows the tax collector to cancel such penalties under certain circumstances. The County denied the request prompting plaintiff to challenge the denial on a petition for peremptory writ of mandate to the trial court. Reprinted courtesy of Laura C. Williams, Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP and R. Bryan Martin, Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP Ms. Williams may be contacted at lwilliams@hbblaw.com Mr. Martin may be contacted at bmartin@hbblaw.com Read the court decision
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NYT Points to Foreign Minister and Carlos Slim for Collapse of Mexico City Metro

July 11, 2021 — Amy Stillman - Bloomberg
The collapse last month of a section of a Mexico City metro line that killed 26 people was likely due to poor construction by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim’s Grupo Carso while foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard was mayor, according to a New York Times investigation. Problems were identified in the original construction by Slim’s company Carso Infrastructure and Construction, and the collapse was probably caused by bad welding of the steel studs that served as linchpins of the structure, the report revealed. The job may have been rushed because Ebrard sought to open the subway before his mayoral term ended in 2012, the Times said. Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of Amy Stillman, Bloomberg

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War-Torn Ukraine Looks to Europe’s Green Plans for Reconstruction Ideas

July 18, 2022 — Laura Millan Lombrana - Bloomberg
Ukrainian officials and architects are already thinking about how to rebuild cities torn by the Russian invasion in a way that is also respectful to the environment and helps fight climate change. Mariupol city hall officials have started to assess the damage caused by Russian shelling as a first step to rebuild the city once the war is over, Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov told an audience in Brussels at the New European Bauhaus festival, running through Saturday in several European cities. A coalition of Ukrainian and international experts in urban planning, heritage, energy and the circular economy are working toward the same goal. “We will reconstruct Ukraine, we have to do that and we will do that,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the festival. “It’s not only in our interest, it’s our moral obligation to do that — but when we are reconstructing Ukraine, let’s do it the right way, let’s do it in the spirit of the New European Bauhaus.” Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of Laura Millan Lombrana, Bloomberg

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Norfolk Southern Accused of Trying to Destroy Evidence of Ohio Wreck

February 27, 2023 — Jef Feeley - Bloomberg
Norfolk Southern Corp.’s plan to remove wrecked rail cars from a derailment that resulted in potentially poisonous gas being released over an Ohio town will destroy evidence of the company’s liability, lawyers for residents say. Lawyers in proposed class-action lawsuits over the Feb. 3 accident on Friday asked a federal judge to block the company from clearing the wreckage in East Palestine, Ohio. According to the lawyers, Norfolk Southern informed them last week that it planned to move the 11 rail cars by March 1 and would make them available for inspection for only two days. Adam Gomez, a lawyer for East Palestine residents, said in a court filing that it was “common sense” to keep the wreckage where it is for now. “These communities have questions and we need the evidence to answer them,” he said. Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of Jef Feeley, Bloomberg

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West Coast Casualty’s Construction Defect Seminar Returns to Anaheim May 15th & 16th

February 25, 2014 — Beverley BevenFlorez-CDJ STAFF
This year will be the twenty-first anniversary of West Coast Casualty’s Construction Defect Seminar, which brings together industry professionals locally as well as internationally. Early registration begins in the evening of Wednesday, May 14th, while the main events take place on May 15th and 16th at the Disneyland Hotel and Resort. For attendees who wish to explore more of southern California before or after the seminar, you can show your badge and save at many venues including the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour, Medieval Times, Pinot Provence, Crossroads at House of Blues, Morton’s Steakhouse, as well as many other establishments. You may register for the seminar online. They are offering a $50 discount to attendees who register before April 15th. Download an invitation or register for the event... Show Your Badge and Save... Read the court decision
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Happenings in and around the 2015 West Coast Casualty Seminar

May 07, 2015 — Beverley BevenFlorez-CDJ STAFF
West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar returns to the Disneyland Hotel next week (May 14th and 15th), and the Construction Defect Journal has compiled a list of concerts, sporting events, and museum exhibitions taking place in and around Anaheim. Whether you like to spend your personal time checking out a new band, or watching your favorite Angel slide into home, or perusing the local art museum, there is something to spark your interest. CONCERT VENUES THE HOUSE OF BLUES IN ANAHEIM Located in Downtown Disney, The House of Blues in Anaheim is a short walk from the convention hall.

Live Band Karaoke Wednesday, May 13th Starting at 10pm No Cover For More Information...

Rockin’ The Blues with Griff Hamlin Thursday, May 14th at 10pm For More Information...

Tyrone Wells Saturday, May 16th at 7pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

THE GROVE OF ANAHEIM Near Angel Stadium, the Grove of Anaheim is just a few miles away from the seminar location.

Ministry Monday, May 11th Doors Open at 7pm / Show Begins at 8pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Kamelot plus Special Guest Dragonforce Friday, May 15th Doors Open at 7pm / Show Begins at 8pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

CHAIN REACTION Attendees can escape to this all-ages club that’s just a ten minute drive from the Disneyland Hotel.

Ice Nine Kills Wednesday, May 13th at 7pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Warped Tour Battle of the Bands Thursday, May 14th at 7pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Manifest Presents Saturday, May 16th at 7pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

SPORTING EVENTS ANGEL’S STADIUM – BASEBALL Take care of your popcorn-and-peanuts-and-cracker-jacks fix while cheering for the Angel’s—conveniently just a few miles from the Disneyland Hotel.

Angels v. Colorado Rockies Tuesday, May 12th at 7:05pm Wednesday, May 13th at 7:05pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS MUZEO This local museum and cultural center is a short drive from the convention hall.

Cougars and Grizzlies: Sharing their Path April 18, 2015-September 13th, 2015 Museum Days/Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (Closed Mondays) / 10 am to 5 pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

BOWERS MUSEUM (Santa Ana) Voted “The Best Museum in Orange County” by OC Register Readers for 16 consecutive years, this arts and cultural center is worth the fifteen minute drive.

Qi Baishi: China’s Modern Master April 11th, 2015-July 11th, 2015 Museum Days/Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (Closed Mondays) / 10 am to 4 pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Where Ends Meet: A Retrospective of Works by Nancy Ravenhall Johnson March 13th, 2015-August 16th, 2015 Museum Days/Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (Closed Mondays) / 10 am to 4 pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Exhibition: Adams, Curtis, and Weston: Photographers of the American West May 16th, 2015-November 29th, 2015 Museum Days/Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (Closed Mondays) / 10 am to 4 pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

Lecture: Adams, Curtis, and Weston: Photographers of the American West Saturday, May 16th from 1:30pm to 2:30pm For More Information and to Purchase Tickets...

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Basement Foundation Systems’ Getting an Overhaul

October 22, 2014 — Beverley BevenFlorez-CDJ STAFF
Builder reported that “[a] new game-changing system, recently recognized for its energy-efficient composite approach to basement construction, soon could change how American builders construct foundations.” Epitome composite foundation walls from Composite Panel Systems (CPS) “was awarded the Composites and Advanced Materials Exposition’s Unsurpassed Innovation Award in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 14.” The system “combines integrated stud cavities for mechanicals, insulation, the top plate, and a vapor barrier in a single step.” It has been approved for use in Wisconsin, and is expected to receive International Building code and International Residential Code compliance later this year. Read the court decision
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