The Dealmaker: 6/8/2017

Wright home in Arcadia set to benefit students. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Peter Sperling in preserving the residential historical character of Arcadia.) On this, the “150th anniversary” of the “famed architect’s” birth, AZCentral is reporting that the “Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood… will be donated… for use by the architecture program at Taliesin West… It’s unclear how neighbors will react to the announcement, though plans [and the expectation that ‘about 30,000 people’ will ‘tour the home each year’] will almost certainly face some opposition from those who want to see the site preserved solely as a residence.” http://bit.ly/2rQA3q5

ASU, Catellus proceed on next phase of Novus Innovation Corridor. AZRE: “This new phase will see the completion of the first one million square feet of mid-rise, Class A office space, urban residences, hotel rooms… retail… and restaurants… just north of the University Avenue Metro Rail station… When completed, Novus will integrate more than eight million square feet of private, mixed-use urban development… ultimately bringing approximately 20,000 new jobs and 5,000 new residents…” For further details along with an “illustrated aerial” of Novus, click–> http://bit.ly/2r6kEVO

Split Surprise planning commission approves Avila rentals. “By a 4-2 margin, the commission recommended approval of a zoning change to the 11-acre parcel on the [NE] corner of Reems and Waddell roads from commercial to residential, and the plan with 127 detached single-family homes for rent.” What tweaks did NexMetro make to its proposal that switched community and council naysayers’ thumbs from down to up? Find out in YourWestValley. http://bit.ly/2rFJASH

Maricopa analyzing 3 keys to boost economic development. Those keys involve “Customer Service,” “Sustainability,” and “Education.” Additionally, inMaricopa reports that there is a “fourth obstacle” concerning a problem with the flood-plain, the solution to which, according to Mayor Price, may require having to “Trumpify it.” See what the mayor means by that here: http://bit.ly/2ra9jyZ

CEILING INCREASE = ROOFS OVER MORE HEADS? – Fannie Mae will ease financial standards for mortgage applicants next month. WaPo reports that the mortgage money mammoth will “ease its debt-to-income… requirements,” increasing its “ceiling from the current 45 percent to 50…” While lenders are “welcoming the change,” the new policy “doesn’t mean everybody with a DTI higher than 45 percent is going to get approved.” http://bit.ly/2rQt5ld

Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2rFMAOZ

[EDITORIAL] Privacy in the cellphone age; Lauren Reynolds, Rose Law Group litigation attorney, who focuses on privacy and data breach issues, says new laws needed. “[H]ow easy should it be for the government to get its hands on [your cellphone] data?” The New York Times looks at a Supreme Court case that it says could “redefine not only the limits on law enforcement access to cellphone-location records, but the future of surveillance more broadly.” Lauren Reynolds: “Although this is a criminal case dealing with Fourth Amendment issues, it is an important demonstration of the problems which arise when applying antiquated legislation and legal concepts to modern day technologies…” http://bit.ly/2rQRVBq

In the age of Trump, social media slugfests are driving coverage for defamation along with home and auto policies; defamation insurance a must, says Rose Law Group litigation attorney Logan Elia. “Given how much of our lives is spent venting on social media… the more vociferous might want to consider libel insurance.” Just ask “actress, musician and the widow of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain,” Courtney Love. Bloomberg has the Love story. Meanwhile, here’s just a snippet of what Logan Elia has to say on the matter: “Anyone who posts online about other people or businesses… is well advised to obtain defamation insurance. It is cheaper to pay an insurance company $400 per year than it is to pay a lawyer $400 per hour.” Read Logan’s entire comment at Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2r6E1Oj 

Apple wants to block your texts when driving. “Apple wants to help curtail distracted driving, which is what’s behind its latest [‘Do Not Disturb’] feature that will block texts and other news alerts while you’re driving. [It] will be added to iPhones this fall.” And while “users can choose to disable” the function, it can also, of course, be automatically deactivated by distracted drivers whenever they drive into ditches, careen off cliffs, or plow into poles. Curious about how it works? First, if you haven’t done so already, PULL OVER! — and then click to REALTORMag. http://bit.ly/2r0mgfC

Norton, Pierce, Johnson arraigned, plead not guilty in federal bribery case. New developments on a story we’ve been following, from Arizona Capitol Times: “[Former Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman Gary] Pierce, his wife Sherry, [Johnson Utilities owner George] Johnson and lobbyist Jim Norton appeared briefly [in the U.S. District Court yesterday] and entered their pleas of not guilty to charges of felony conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud brought against them…” http://bit.ly/2rFKheL

Phoenix Is America’s fifth-largest city. Why isn’t it ranking among the best places to live? “Several recently published lists [from Growella, U.S. News and World Report, WalletHub] don’t include Phoenix among the most favored places to live.” We’re basically the Rodney Dangerfield of U.S. metros, according to New Times contributor Robrt L. Pela, who leads off his piece with this “Get no respect” subhead: “If Phoenix were a high school student instead of the country’s fifth-largest city, it would be that straight-A’s smart kid whose locker keeps getting egged.” http://bit.ly/2s8aWSN

House prices in ‘gayborhoods’ have soared 20% in three years. “Similarly, prices have risen in neighborhoods that are popular with cohabiting, married or partnered gay women — by an average of 18%…. according to research by the real-estate website Trulia.” Check out report highlights which include a list of the most expensive “gayborhoods” across the country and economist Ralph McLaughlin’s take on the findings — at MarketWatch. http://bit.ly/2s8vURy