Green Homes, Free Trade and Housing Discrimination
Multi-million dollar homes raise controversy for claiming “green” building credentials.
Congress prepares to consider a new trade agreement with Colombia.
An appeals court rules apartment hunting site Roomates.com can be sued for housing discrimination.
1. ENVIRONMENT
Multi-million dollar homes raise controversy for claiming “green” building credentials.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk & Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini on the costs of going green:
“Today, the new green badge of honor appears to be going to people who build and live in ‘green homes’ that meet standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Under these standards (known as LEED Standards), you apparently can’t be green if you have a large home … unless you have a very large bank account! In order to be called green under the so called LEED green building standards, larger homes must meet higher standards than smaller ones—and the costs can be substantial. Ironically, many of the standards are questionable.”
2. TRADE
Congress prepares to consider a new trade agreement with Colombia.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Fellow Fran Smith on prospects for the agreement’s passage:
“President George Bush today sent a transmittal letter to Congress with the implementing legislation for the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Under trade rules, Congress will have 90 days to act on the FTA. The FTA , opposed by Democratic leaders, will be facing a tough fight, even if the President agrees to push for trade assistance programs for workers.”
3. LEGAL
An appeals court rules apartment hunting site Roomates.com can be sued for housing discrimination.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the impact of current discrimination law:
“Most housing discrimination laws don’t prevent you from living with roommates of a particular sex (not surprising, given than women generally don’t want a male roommate). But they do ban you from advertising the fact that you won’t room with people of a particular sex, calling that ‘discrimination.’ Thus, the laws pointlessly keep people in the dark about whether a room advertised in the newspaper is even available to members of their sex.”
Blog feature: For more news and analysis, updated throughout the day, visit CEI’s blog, Open Market.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To contact a CEI expert for comment or interviews, please call the CEI communications department at 202-331-2273 or email to [email protected].