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CHICAGO, IL - August 6, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Pat Quinn today signed two new housing laws to provide people with disabilities with more access to affordable rental housing, and to further protect homeowners from mortgage fraud. The suppor...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 6, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- A total of 80 metropolitan statistical areas across 32 states and the District of Columbia were listed as improving housing markets on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) for August, released today. This included 75 markets that retained their places on the list along with five new ones, while nine areas fell from the list due primarily to slight movements in house prices.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 6, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury today released the July edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard – a comprehensive report on the nation’s housing market. Data in the Housing Scorecard show continued signs of recovery as foreclosure starts and completions declined in June, though officials expect activity to increase in the coming months as firms lift delays in foreclosure processing. In addition, the inventory of houses for sale remained low; at current pace, it would take 6.6 months to sell the supply of existing homes on the market and 4.9 months to clear the new homes on the market.

Washington, DC - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to increase the supply of affordable rental housing available for middle-income seniors, who are ineligible to...

August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Construction employment declined by 1,000 in July even though the industry’s unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since 2008, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The sector’s unemployment rate has steadily declined since 2009 as hundreds of thousands of out-of-work construction workers have left the industry seeking other opportunities, the association’s economist cautioned

New York, NY - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency today announced the approval of an economic development compact for a proposed $93 million complex in down...

New York, NY - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The following statement on the City’s comprehensive study of New York City buildings can be attributed to Mike Fishman, President of 32BJ, one of the largest building service workers union in the co...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that the owner and former manager of the Lowrey Hotel and Café in New Richmond, Wis., has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging they had sexually harassed a homeless woman who sought shelter at the hotel.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mold in flood-damaged homes and other structures can cause health problems if it is not eliminated. People with asthma, allergies and other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold, and people with immune suppression are more susceptible to infections caused by mold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sparrowbush, NY - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that $326,250 in federal funding was awarded to the New York State Department of Transportation to allow Orange County to purchase ...

WASHINGTON, DC - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced today the launch of the National Mortgage Servicing Settlement’s first public servic...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council is now accepting applications for the 2013 Best of 50+ Housing Awards, which honor excellence in building, design, marketing and lifestyle of housing for boomers and beyond. A panel of industry professionals will judge entries in a total of 44 award categories, including “Best 50+ Integration of Aging-in-Place Technology and Design,” “Best 50+ Mixed-Use Community On the Boards,” “Best 50+ Integrated Marketing Strategy or Campaign” and “Best 50+ Fitness & Wellness Program,” among others.

ANCHORAGE, - August 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) board of directors re-elected Frank Roppel of Wrangell to serve as the board chair at its annual board meeting in Wrangell July 25. Governor Frank Murkowski app...

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 9th Annual Kingfish Shootout are teaming up in Franklin County to provide information and advice on cleaning and rebuilding homes after Tropical Storm Debby.

New York, NY - August 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced another major milestone in the project for building a new bridge to replace the Tappan Zee with the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS),...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 1, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- A review of government enforcement data finds no justification for costly and complex new rules governing the hiring of veterans and people with disabilities being proposed by the Office of Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The analysis found that significantly less than one percent of federal contractors covered by the rule may have discriminated against a veteran or person with a disability at any point in the past eight years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 1, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Construction spending in June rose to a 2-1/2 year high as double-digit percentage increases in private residential and nonresidential construction more than offset an ongoing downturn in public construction, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said they expect the disparity between private and public construction is likely to persist and urged policy makers to put more funding into infrastructure projects

Washington, DC - August 1, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today announced it will co-host the National Affordable Green Homes & Sustainable Communities Summit with the Institute for Professional and Executive Development (IPED) - an affiliate of Nixon Peabody LLP and Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise). The two-day summit will take place Nov. 13 - 14, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. at the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

August 1, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The EPA's Energy Star program on July 25 launched the 2012 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings with a record 3,200 buildings across the country going head to head to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect the environment. U.S. commercial buildings are responsible for about 20% of the nation's energy use at a cost of more than $100 billion annually in energy bills. In 2011, the 245 participants in the Energy Star competition saved $5.2 million on their utility bills and prevented nearly 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions—equal to the emissions from the electricity used by more than 3,600 homes a year.

HARRISBURG - August 1, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) today for projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing in the Marcellus Shale region of the state.