Shahzaad Ausman has had to sue the county to confirm that he can continue to live in his own home.
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HappyTaxDay(ifanytaxdaycanbehappy)andwelcometoanothereditionofRentFree.Thisweek’sstoriesinclude:
Single-stairreformtakesabigstepforwardinAustin,Texas.ParkingreformadvancesinWashington.Butfirst,ourleaditemonapermittingstoryfromhellthatshowsjusthowthinAmerica’spropertyrightsprotectionscanbe.
HawaiiHomeownerGoesThroughPermitHellAfterCountyTellsHimHisDecades-OldHomeIsIllegalWhenShahzaadAusmanpurchasedasmallseasidehomeinCaptainCook,Hawaii,in2021,hehadeveryreasontobelievethatitwasaperfectlylegaldwelling.
Thehomewasfirstbuiltin1987andtheoriginalownerhadlivedinitforyearswithoutincident.
ThesecondownerAusmanwaspurchasingthehomefromhadrecentlyobtainedaremodelingpermitin2020tomakerepairsandalterations.
Aspartofhisduediligenceduringthepurchasingprocess,Ausmanhadconfirmedwiththecountythattheremodelingpermitwasvalidforfiveyears.AnagentandappraiserworkingforAusmanalsoconfirmedwiththecountythereweren̵
