toxic title n.— «When city officials try to hold someone responsible for dilapidated properties, they often find the homeowner and bank pointing fingers at each other. Indeed, the houses fall into a kind of legal limbo that Cleveland housing...
coffee-housing n.—Gloss: in a competition or game, trying to distract or annoy another player. «Anything you do to distract is called “coffee-housing,” and it’s against the rules. But there’s a lot of gray area. It’s illegal to talk during a game...
old and cold rule n.— «If you plan to use the vacation home as the relinquished property, do not use it personally for at least two years, and two tax returns. The IRS has adopted what is known as the “old and cold” rule. If you engage in a...
dipsy-do n.—Gloss: another way of saying “an up and down (motion or change).” Note: The Dictionary of American Regional English has a similar term, “dipsy-doodle”, which is defined as dip in the road, or a “thank-you-ma’am.” «Since he started as a...
Katrina cottage n.— «The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $74 million for a state plan to build more than 400 alternative housing units, often known as Katrina cottages, for south Louisiana hurricane victims.» —“FEMA gives...
sink estate n.— «Today, as the dust settles on six years of building works, major changes are apparent. Milton Court has been a proving ground of a potent policy idea—the erasure and re-invention of council-run housing property. The “sink estate”...