The Responsible Estate Management Act

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Felicia Fortune
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The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Felicia Fortune »

I've been looking at the CDS laws lately as I've been wondering what the procedure is for selling a sim as itt appears that despite everyone's best efforts, the yellow spots are still increasing, with LA and CN being the most vacant. At what point do we decide that those sims just aren't attractive to new citizens and develop different sims? Perhaps sims with more appeal than Roman themed ones?
Since I really didn't find anything in the laws that relates to the selling of a sim, I would like to propose the following legislation for consideration and that this proposal be put on the agenda of the next RA meeting.
Even though the CDS is sitting on roughly $17,000 and it will take a lot more yellow spots to impact that pile of cash, the day may come when that pile is gone or is needed to move to a new grid if/when SL finally goes offline.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Felicia

The Responsible Estate Management Act

In the Confederation of Democratic Sims it is the responsibility of the CDS government to ensure that the estate is financially managed in a responsible manner with an overall goal of keeping CDS in the black.

Tenancy fluctuations and long term vacancies can negatively impact the financial health of the estate. This bill establishes parameters for selling a CDS region if it remains vacant, in the red and a financial liability.

If a region in the CDS falls below 65% occupancy, measured by square meters leased of the total available leasable square meters, for more than three months, the Chancellor is empowered to take steps to sell the region.

The Chancellor will determine the sale price of the region based on the average market sale price for regions of that type at that time.

The Chancellor must give 14 days notice to all CDS citizens of the intention to sell a region both on the CDS forum and in an in-world CDS group notice.

The Chancellor must give 14 days notice of the sale to the citizens of the region via notecard.

Citizens of the region being sold are responsible for abandoning their land and taking refunds of their tier balance from the tier meters before the date of the sale.

Available parcels in the region that is scheduled for sale will remain available for lease during the 14 days, making it possible to bring the occupancy level above 65% prior to the sale date.

During the 14 days prior to the date of posting the region for sale, the RA has the authority to convene a session and override the Chancellor’s decision by a majority vote.

Three days prior to the sale date, the Chancellor will conduct a survey of occupancy on the region marked for sale. If the level of occupancy is 66% or greater at that date the sale process will cease.

On the date of sale, if tenancy levels have not risen to the necessary amount, the Chancellor will clear the region completely of all objects before placing the region for sale.

The Chancellor can confer the responsibility of clearing the region on a CDS estate manager.

At the Chancellor’s direction, Rudeen must place the region up for sale in the For Sale By Owner group. The Chancellor is responsible for writing up the text for the sales notice and for giving it to Rudeen.

Money from the sale of the region shall remain in the general CDS account (Rudeen).

Neufriedstadt is excluded from this act. Given the history of the region and the significance to CDS, Neufreidtadt will remain until it is no longer able to pay for itself or SL service ends.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Rosie Gray »

Interesting proposal, Felicia. I think we are premature in thinking that we should consider selling a region at this time, but I can see why you wanted to create a proposal as to how to handle it if it becomes apparent that we should divest of a region. We are just ending a summer season, when SL participation is always at its lowest, and it does take some time for marketing efforts to show results. I'm interested in hearing everyone's thoughts about this!

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Han Held »

I support this measure, with some tweaks. I'd like to suggest some changes:

Title:
The Responsible Estate Management Act

Rationale:
In the Confederation of Democratic Sims it is the responsibility of the CDS government to ensure that the estate is financially managed in a responsible manner with an overall goal of keeping CDS financially solvent. Tenancy fluctuations and long term vacancies can negatively impact the financial health of the estate.

Intended purpose:
This bill establishes parameters for selling a CDS region in the event the region becomes a finanicial liability.

Affects; All regions in the CDS estate with the exception of Neufriestatd.

Measure;

Each region's financial health shall be measured financially. It is expected that each region will have a fixed teir rate which will be paid for by renting out parcels on the region in question. If a region is unable to meet it's teir by an amount greater than 70% (meaning if 70% or more of it's tier in unable to be paid for by parcel rentals) for a period of time not less than three months then it will be eligible for for sale and removal from the estate. Meeting the financial qualifications will not require that the region is in fact sold, but only grants the Chancellor permission to divest the estate of the region at their discretion.

The Chancellor will determine the sale price of the region based on the average market sale price for regions of that type at that time.

The Chancellor must give a minimum of 30 days notice to all CDS citizens of the intention to sell a region both on the CDS forum and in an in-world CDS group notice.

Citizens of the region being sold are responsible for abandoning their land and taking refunds of their tier balance from the tier meters before the date of the sale.

Available parcels in the region that is scheduled for sale will remain available for lease during the 14 days, making it possible to bring the occupancy level above 70% prior to the sale date.

During the 30 days following the Chancellor's notice of intent to divest a region, the RA has the authority to convene a session and override the Chancellor’s decision by a majority vote.

Three days prior to the sale date, the Chancellor will conduct a survey of occupancy on the region marked for sale. If the level of occupancy is 66% or greater at that date the sale process will cease.

On the date of sale, if the tier coming in has not risen to the necessary amount, the Chancellor will clear the region completely of all objects before placing the region for sale.

The Chancellor can confer the responsibility of clearing the region on a CDS estate manager.

At the Chancellor’s direction, Rudeen must place the region up for sale in the For Sale By Owner group. The Chancellor is responsible for writing up the text for the sales notice and for giving it to Rudeen.

Money from the sale of the region shall remain in the general CDS account (Rudeen).

Neufriedstadt is excluded from this act. Given the history of the region and the significance to CDS, Neufreidtadt will remain until it is no longer able to pay for itself or SL service ends.

My suggestions boil down to: tweak the amount of time between the chancellor giving notice and the time the sim is actually sold, raise the percentage of teir going unpaid, base the decision on finances (the amount of teir taken in) rather than on "occupancy", and specify that this act gives the chancellor permission to sell, but doesn't obligate him to sell.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Sudane Erato »

I think it's sad that we consider putting into place procedures for selling a sim which is not fully occupied, while only two years ago, when we proposed to modify LA to make it more popular, a hue and cry was raised over the possibility that people would be displaced in order to make the modifications.

Isn't this proposed rule a far more drastic action of "eminent domain", or the taking of citizens' private property, than the long and frustrating effort to revise LA and make it more attractive? The proposed law gives 14 days notice to citizens who may have lived on this sim a long time. If we're going to consider such a harsh system, why not at least couple this "ultimate solution" with intelligent means for relocating citizens temporarily while the sim is modified and rebuilt, as a first effort to revitalize and make profitable an under-performing sim?

"Responsible Estate Management" means making our sims as attractive and marketable as we possibly can, revising and rebuilding them when necessary, and only as a last resort shedding them.

Sudane.....................................

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Em Warden »

I think we should see CDS as a whole. Some regions have too many yellow patches, but others are much more popular and the income from the latter can make up for the losses of the less popular ones, for a time long enough to take us through a well planned make-over of LA and/or CN, should we chose to do that.

If we look at the regions in SL that have less problems than others when it comes to unrented parcels- what do they look like? What makes them attractive? Are there any at all without this problem? My own experience is insufficient here.

Our democratic system is very important to most of us. In itself, it attracts people of a certain disposition of mind. On the other hand, it can deter others, who just want to settle down in a beautiful surrounding, without having any democratic duties to fulfill. This is a dilemma we have to consider: maintaining our democracy project versus attracting more people.

It is indeed a complicated act of balance.

Just an idea: we need to make it easier for new citizens. Since we have strict rules as to what can be built here, we should also have appropriate prefabs to offer. Preferably in a shop like the one in NFS, where you can buy Fachwerk houses. Some newcomers have built highly improper things, and when told that they could not have those on their parcels, they left. So we have to be very clear already in the purchase moment that there are strict rules for buildings, and that buyers have to contact the Chancellor to get builds approved within 14 days. When you see a nice parcel where you want to make a "home", you are eager to get started and don't bother to read boring covenants... Provided with a LM to a shop with approved houses, you can easily see what kind of houses you can build, or you can chose to buy a prefab. In such a shop we could also display a list of designers who have proper builds for sale.

Putting an appropriate house on the parcels immediately after they are abandoned, like it is done in NFS at present, is a very good idea, IMO. It shortens the way from discovering the available parcel to actually renting it. It is very easy to move into the house right after you bought the parcel. (For some reason some of the houses in the LA fishing village don't work that way...)

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Widget Whiteberry »

only two years ago, when we proposed to modify LA to make it more popular, a hue and cry was raised over the possibility that people would be displaced in order to make the modifications.

If modifications might help LA, this would seem to be the time to make them.

Whatever we do, it should be done with forethought and not in a rush. We needn't rush and shouldn't.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Han Held »

Sudane Erato wrote:

I think it's sad that we consider putting into place procedures for selling a sim which is not fully occupied, while only two years ago, when we proposed to modify LA to make it more popular, a hue and cry was raised over the possibility that people would be displaced in order to make the modifications.

Isn't this proposed rule a far more drastic action of "eminent domain", or the taking of citizens' private property, than the long and frustrating effort to revise LA and make it more attractive? The proposed law gives 14 days notice to citizens who may have lived on this sim a long time. If we're going to consider such a harsh system, why not at least couple this "ultimate solution" with intelligent means for relocating citizens temporarily while the sim is modified and rebuilt, as a first effort to revitalize and make profitable an under-performing sim?

"Responsible Estate Management" means making our sims as attractive and marketable as we possibly can, revising and rebuilding them when necessary, and only as a last resort shedding them.

Sudane.....................................

It seems to me from reading over the history of the CDS that any mechanism we neglect to put in place ends up biting us on the ass. I disagree on only giving two weeks, to me that's an outrageously short period of time, and I extended that in my proposed draft.

The important point, which wasn't included in the original, is the idea of making this an option, and not something that automatically happens based on numbers. Whatever final version is pushed through needs to include two points; a) divestment is descrtionary, not mandatory b)can be over-ruled by the RA. I'd also like to see the option of having it over-ruled by popular vote IE if the citizens get together and ask for an emergency vote and decide collectively to keep the sim.

It's better to have it on the books, with safeguards, then to kick the can down the road and let some future administration deal with it on top of the other marketing and governing stresses they'll already be dealing with.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Josie Fotherington »

Han Held wrote:

It's better to have it on the books, with safeguards, then to kick the can down the road and let some future administration deal with it on top of the other marketing and governing stresses they'll already be dealing with.

I agree with you Hannah. I also am in 100% agreement with the changes you suggested. This should be an option that the Chancellor has at his or her discretion. The Chancellor does not have to do it if he/she does not want to do it. It is also built in that if a citizen or someone in the RA is not in agreement with the decision, then the RA can meet and stop the sales process with a majority vote. I also really like your idea of having the option of a popular vote as well, if the citizens feel that the CDS government is not looking out for their best interests or the best interests of the estate.

Isn't it better to have a process, with parameters in place? A process that contains checks and balances? Rather than to have nothing?

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by AbbyRose »

Sudane Erato wrote:

I think it's sad that we consider putting into place procedures for selling a sim which is not fully occupied, while only two years ago, when we proposed to modify LA to make it more popular, a hue and cry was raised over the possibility that people would be displaced in order to make the modifications.

Isn't this proposed rule a far more drastic action of "eminent domain", or the taking of citizens' private property, than the long and frustrating effort to revise LA and make it more attractive? The proposed law gives 14 days notice to citizens who may have lived on this sim a long time. If we're going to consider such a harsh system, why not at least couple this "ultimate solution" with intelligent means for relocating citizens temporarily while the sim is modified and rebuilt, as a first effort to revitalize and make profitable an under-performing sim?

"Responsible Estate Management" means making our sims as attractive and marketable as we possibly can, revising and rebuilding them when necessary, and only as a last resort shedding them.

Sudane.....................................

LA was redone and it was "full". People were happy there. The property is not the problem. Attitude, management, and advertising need to be worked on. It's my humble opinion. Sudane has much knowledge in these areas. Perhaps it is time to listen to people in the know, allow the government to work as it was created, which means meetings and paying attention to those in the various offices, instead of stepping on each others toes?

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Victor1 »

AbbyRose wrote:

LA was redone and it was "full". People were happy there. The property is not the problem. Attitude, management, and advertising need to be worked on. It's my humble opinion. Sudane has much knowledge in these areas. Perhaps it is time to listen to people in the know, allow the government to work as it was created, which means meetings and paying attention to those in the various offices, instead of stepping on each others toes?

I bolded the two that's causing the decline of CDS. Right there... attitude and management, ESPECIALLY attitude.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Han Held »

Victor1 wrote:

attitude.

Mind that glass house of yours, interloper.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Coop »

Ok, I'm going to say it now. Calm down and keep the discourse free of name calling.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Aliasi Stonebender »

Namecalling is not something we need to deal with. Han, this is your warning.

This isn't Night Vale, and the way to greet people is not to point and shout "Interlopeeeeeeer!".

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Han Held »

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If Vic's input adds more to the conversation mine, you're welcome to him.
Enjoy.

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Re: The Responsible Estate Management Act

Post by Victor1 »

Han Held wrote:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If Vic's input adds more to the conversation mine, you're welcome to him.
Enjoy.

Eh? I dont even know who you are apart from you posting in the SLU forum.

Ohh and by the way Han... https://secondlife.com/destination/rave ... restaurant that is the kind of thing this interloper brings to CDS.

What exactly have you done? Since you seem to think its fine to talk trash about me when I have barley been on SL due to taking care of my dad who is undergoing chemo for lung cancer (which no doubt some people in CDS have informed you about) then I can only guess part of your forte is to stab people in the back when they are not around to defend themselves.

...which shows me EXACTLY the kind of person you are...

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