| Volume 144 Number 12 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If you, or someone you care about, lives in an assisted living facility or nursing home, read on. Because the bill funding the second round of Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) has now been signed into law. The money — right now, $600 per person who qualifies — is being sent out over the next few weeks. And, like last time, the money is meant for the PERSON, not the place they might live. Click here for more.
Renters likely to see the cost of housing go up in 2021
Rents actually went down a bit during the pandemic, but a new report from real estate marketplace Zillow suggests that this break for renters is coming to an end.
In 2021, Zillow says it expects the largest increase in rents since 2005 -- at the height of the housing bubble.
Late this year, rents began to rebound, largely based on rising home values. The typical rent was up 1.1 percent year-over-year in November to $1,734. Among the 100 largest markets, monthly rent growth was highest in Stamford, Conn; Providence, R.I.; and Ogden, Utah -- which grew between 2.1 percent and 3.1 percent.
For the most part, rents in November were roughly where they were at the beginning of 2020 as more people -- members of Generation Z especially -- began looking for new places to live. Zillow expects that trend to gain momentum in 2021. Click here for more.
Your Money
The new year presents a time to jump-start your retirement savings. Making a few changes now could allow you to retire with less stress and a bigger nest egg. Here are some retirement resolutions to make for 2021: Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Consumer cases in the Supreme Court. This year will bring major U.S. Supreme Court decisions focused on consumer protection, including one regarding Federal Trade Commission financial penalties AMG Capital Management LLC et al. v. FTC, case number 19-508, and another concerning standing for damages in class actions, TransUnion LLC v. Sergio L. Ramirez, case number 20-297. Consumer protection attorneys and experts also are anticipating new class actions stemming from COVID-19 products such as masks and hand sanitizer. Cases to watch include Archer et al. v. Carnival Corp. and PLC et al., case number 2:20-cv-04203 and Juishan Hsu et al. v. Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., case number 2:20-cv-03488, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. And New York prepares to implement a new law strictly regulating automatic subscription renewal terms. The state is poised to enact a strict ARL mirroring California's, which took effect in 2010 and is, to date, one of the strictest such laws. The New York and California laws have multiple key things in common, including that they both require companies to receive affirmative consent from a customer before setting up an automatic renewal. The subscription category is expansive, but examples include magazines and newspapers, weight loss programs and recurring shipments of groceries or toiletries. Finally, in early December, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over what defines automatic telephone dialing systems, which are prohibited under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The justices will rule on Facebook v. Duguid early this year, and experts are watching the case closely because of its potential to limit or expand protections under the law. Click here for more.