For more than twenty years, Libby Souder has taught children one of life’s most important and life-saving skills: how to swim. In 2018, she received a business license from the City of Columbia to offer lessons at her backyard pool. Her program quickly became a beloved part of the community, giving dozens of families access to safe, high quality, and personalized swim instruction.
Yet in 2024, a single new neighbor—who started complaining before even moving in—convinced the city to enforce a long-ignored zoning rule banning all outdoor home businesses. The city shut Libby down.
Now, Libby has partnered with the Institute for Justice to challenge Columbia’s unconstitutional law and defend every homeowner’s right to use their property freely—indoors or out.
Related Case
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
Columbia, South Carolina Home Swim Lessons
Libby Souder legally taught swim lessons in her backyard for years, then Columbia, S.C. changed its tune and banned her business.