Small and Home-Based Business Cases

Home day care provider sues city after officials shut her down over complaints from golfers

Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project

Home day care provider sues city after officials shut her down over complaints from golfers

Bianca King is a single mother with two young children. Until recently, she was able to raise her 2-and 4-year-old kids while making a living running a small day care out of her home. But on Feb. 9, city officials—citing concerns of a group of nearby golfers (including former Mayor Joe Bain) that they could hear and see children playing in her backyard—shut her down. Today, she joined forces with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to file a lawsuit in state court challenging Lakeway’s near total ban on running a home business. 

Nashville Home-Based Businesses Challenge Burdensome Restrictions

Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project

Nashville Home-Based Businesses Challenge Burdensome Restrictions

Lij Shaw and Pat Raynor both run successful businesses within their own homes – one a recording studio, the other a hair salon. But one day, the city of Nashville threatened them with fines unless they shut their businesses down. Instead, they teamed up with IJ to vindicate their rights to use their homes to earn a living.