The Little Tax Credit That Keeps On Giving
In an era of declining subsidies and mounting funding gaps, developers have begun turning in a new direction for assistance the New Markets Tax Credit...
Reforming Fannie and Freddie
Given the accounting scandals at both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it's no great shock that the two companies are bracing for increased regulatory oversight....
Who Will Bear the Risk of Terror?
Insurance policyholders in 47 states are in jeopardy of losing coverage on terrorism-related losses after Dec. 31 of this year. That's because insurance...
Why the Basel II Accord Is Worrisome
In 1988, the Group of Ten (G-10), an international consortium of senior officials from central banks and regulatory agencies, agreed to a voluntary framework...
Turning Up the Pressure
The Safe Drinking Water Act, passed in 1974, stated that anyone selling water was subject to the Act's water quality requirements. Until December 2003,...
Abandoned Cable Issue Could Trip Up Owners
The 2002 National Electric Code, the standard for electrical safety in buildings, presents a legal and financial risk for owners who do not understand...
The Benefits of Bonus Depreciation
Bonus depreciation for the cost of tenant improvements just keeps getting better. First came the federal economic stimulus package in 2002 that contained...
Rooting Out Money Laundering
Imagine this scenario: You are in the business of seeking investors in real estate transactions. You realize that one of the investors has arranged to...
Homeland Security For D.C. Office Market
With net absorption down and vacancy rates up for the second consecutive year, 2002 was tense for many owners and investors in the Washington, D.C., office...
A Much-Needed Morale Boost
For more than a year, the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP) and other organizations representing commercial real estate...
