On the California coast, a realtors’ association filed a constitutional challenge against the City of Santa Barbara over an ordinance that requires anyone selling their residence to allow the city to conduct a search of the inside and outside of their home.

"This is only at the point of sale," maintained attorney Meriem Hubbard of the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) – the organization representing the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors. "The problem with this is if they had health and safety issues, one would think that they would immediately go and get a warrant and try to remedy the problem, but that's not what's happening here. It's just at the point of sale [and] they force all homeowners to allow this search."

Hubbard also noted that the city also requires homeowners pay several hundred dollars for the search.

"And the people doing the search are not building inspectors or licensed surveyors – they are city zoning inspectors with dubious qualifications," Hubbard pointed out in a PLF press release. "What we're saying is that this violates the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – to be free from unconstitutional searches. The home is probably the most protected place from having these kinds of searches, and without a warrant – or without any particular reason – there is just no justification for the government to come and snoop around."

The constitutional challenge – which is a lawsuit – was filed in the California Superior Court in Santa Barbara. The City of Santa Barbara has 30 days to respond.

The City Attorney's office did not respond to OneNewsNow's request for comment.