Tennessee Widow Forced to Shut Down Home Business

Nashville resident Pat Raynor opened a state-licensed salon in her home after her husband passed away. The county shut her down after an anonymous complaint. The reason? The county has an ordinance making it illegal for some—but not all—home businesses to serve clients in the home. Pat fought back with the Institute for Justice (IJ) and her case reached the Tennessee Supreme Court.

In 2020, the county passed an ordinance to temporarily allow Pat and other home business owners to host clients, but that reprieve expires in 2023. A new IJ report reveals that many Americans have started businesses in their homes after pandemic-related job losses and business closures. Like Pat, they have to battle red tape that stands in the way of their entrepreneurial dreams.

Read the report HERE: https://ij.org/report/entrepreneur-from-home-how-home-based-businesses-provide-flexibility-and-opportunity-and-how-cities-can-get-out-of-their-way/

For more on Pat’s case visit https://ij.org/case/nashville-home-based-business/.
Donate to IJ: https://ij.org/support/give-now/