this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2025
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Senate Bill 17 prohibits many people and businesses from China, Iran, Russia and North Korea from buying most types of real estate

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[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 19 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm definitely not convinced of the national security reason. However, if Texas has been having the same issue as California, with a lot of foreigners buying up property but not living in it, then something to prevent that is useful.

And to that end, it sounds like this would do it. Though, it also catches undocumented immigrants which may have been the primary focus. You must be legal and you must be living in the US. The former shouldn't matter IMO. People need places to live.

[–] HailSeitan@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I doubt there’s any concern for housing availability driving this, otherwise they would tax or regulate vacation homes, Airbnb, etc. This is just screwing over permanent residents without citizenship in order to look tough on China.

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah keep the homestead process and tax the hell out of people that dont live in the homes they don't live in.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Non US citizens shouldn't be allowed to own property in the US.

That's how it already works in a ton of countries that have way better housing markets.

[–] HailSeitan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Why? Isn’t residency the better test of investment in a community (just as it is with voting)?

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

IMO residents should be granted citizenship.

A big problem that is happening is other countries' citizens are buying up shitloads of housing and don't live here.

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Non US citizens shouldn't be allowed to own property in the US.

Right, so basically massively discriminating against any immigrant coming into the country?

Seems reasonable for non-citizen residents to be allowed to own property.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Until Chinese citizens who will never enter the US buy up a third of California because we allow property to be an investment.

If it's somehow racist for the US to prioritize its citizens by limiting home ownership, then there are a lot of racist European, Asian, South American, and African countries out there.

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago

Until Chinese citizens who will never enter the US buy up a third of California because we allow property to be an investment.

See Non-citizen residents as claimed in my comment.

You can't be a non-citizen resident without actually entering the country, because you would per definition not be residing in the country.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't get the idea of selling land outside of country. Should all be rental but then again I sorta feel land ownership is a false thing. Between borders being defined and defended by a government and property taxes and such I feel the reality is its all basically rentals.

[–] HailSeitan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

Not specifically. I just think its all sorta delusion to think people own land when its obviously not the case.

[–] WhiteOakBayou@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

What about the Saudi's?

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Are they gonna rip away the properties already in their possessions though?

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

China, Iran, Russia and North Korea

One of these things is not like the others.

[–] PyroNeurosis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You're gonna have to spell this one out for me- they're all overblown bugbears for the right wing.

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social 3 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, I guess looking for factual underpinning to it was just an error on my part. My point was that Russia and North Korea actually have done something wrong, and Iran is at least our geopolitical enemy, but China is still more a business partner for us than anything else. Sure they like to park independent wealth in US properties sometimes, and sometimes they spy on us, but WTF everyone does that kind of thing, they're just notable because they do more of it because they are bigger.

But yeah, trying to break down the thing from a "how much sense does the list make" standpoint was missing the point I think. It's just more prancing around for the crowd before the main event begins and they can have ICE snatch up all their opponents. Not long now.