Restricted donations bind a church to spend the gift exactly as the donor intended — spend it elsewhere and you risk a breach of fiduciary duty claim. Here’s how to tell a restricted gift from an unrestricted one, and the only lawful ways to change course.
Churches and nonconforming use go hand in hand whenever a congregation predates the zoning around it. Here’s what “grandfathered in” actually protects, how a city can still end that protection, and what to check before you buy or expand.
What the religious service copyright exemption actually covers, what it doesn’t (reproduction, livestreaming), and how most churches close the gap.
CReal property fraud can cost a church hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single wired transaction. Here’s how wire fraud, mortgage fraud, and title schemes actually work, based on FBI and FTC warnings, and the signs that mean you’re already a target.
Security deposits in a commercial lease work nothing like residential ones — no caps on the amount, no automatic accounting requirement, and different refund deadlines depending on why the landlord is keeping part of it. Here’s what actually applies.
General liability insurance is required in nearly every lease or rental agreement, but the coverage itself is rarely the hard part — understanding subrogation, indemnity, and additional-insured endorsements is. Here’s what a property owner actually needs to know.
Premises trespasser liability doesn’t stop at your church’s front gate — California law can hold a church responsible for injuries to trespassers, off-site pedestrians, and everyone in between. Here’s what the law actually requires, and the practical steps that reduce your risk.
A small error in a deed’s Grantee name can cloud your church’s title for years. Learn how incorrect deeds happen and why it matters when selling or financing your property.
When a church leases space to a for-profit tenant, its property tax exemption is suddenly at risk. Here’s how California’s Church, Religious, and Welfare exemptions differ, and what leasing to the wrong tenant can cost your congregation.
Selling commercial or church property in California means disclosing far more than most sellers realize. Here’s what the law requires, why an “as-is” clause won’t shield you from a hidden defect, and how a failure to disclose becomes actual fraud.
