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The Association of Mortgage Professionals, has announced that it will work to support H.R. 3393, the Mortgage Fairness Act of 2015. The legislation introduced by Congressmen Bill Posey and Dennis Ross in the U.S. House of Representatives would provide a long overdue technical correction to the Dodd Frank Act. This technical correction would allow lower and moderate income consumers and homebuyers some flexibility in the loan they choose to buy a home in order to have better cash flow at the time of closing.

With damages up nearly 20 percent in 2015, Consumers Energy remindsdo-it-yourself homeowners that August 11 (8-11) should provide an important reminder to call MISS DIG at 8-1-1 to have underground utilities marked at no cost before digging.

A promising climb in home sales throughout the country amidst insufficient supply caused home prices to steadily rise in most metro areas during the second quarter, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) reacted in disappointment to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla overturning New York City’s Responsible Banking Act in The New York Bankers Association v. The City of New York. The Responsible Banking Act is one of several responsible banking ordinances that U.S. cities have recently passed, which require banks bidding on municipal deposits and investments to submit community development plans describing the loans, investments, and bank services they would provide to minority and modest-income neighborhoods.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced 27 finalists in the Knight Green Line Challenge, which asked for innovative ideas that tap into the potential of the Green Line to make surrounding neighborhoods in St. Paul more vibrant places to live and work.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $63 million in loans and grants for 264 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide that USDA is supporting through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education(CAE) has selected nine educational facilities for this year’s CAE Education Facility Design Awards. The program honors educational facilities that the jury believes should serve as an example of a superb place in which to learn, furthering the client's mission, goals and educational program while demonstrating excellence in architectural design.

Bobi Garrett, deputy laboratory director for strategic programs and partnerships at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as one of the region's top female executives in the energy industry.

Informa Exhibitions U.S., Construction & Real Estate and theU.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) are excited to announce indie soul/pop band Fitz and The Tantrums will headline the 2015 Greenbuild Celebration, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, from 7-10 p.m. at the Newseum, an interactive museum, in Washington, D.C.

EPIC began raising the money for Mercy Housing during its second annual EPIC Real Estate Forum in Las Vegas, Nev. in February, 2015. Several of EPIC’s key partners sponsored the event and made significant contributions to EPIC’s fund raising efforts.

Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) recently priced a new offering of Structured Pass-Through Certificates (K Certificates) which are backed by fixed-rate multifamily mortgages with 7-year terms. The company expects to issue more than $471 million in K-719 Certificates, which are expected to settle on or about August 19, 2015. This is the company's fifteenth K Certificates offering this year.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker today filed a bill that will address the need to raise the net metering caps in the Commonwealth. The Governor’s action is an important step in the legislative process. It recognizes both the popularity of solar in the state and its importance to the economy, and it advances the Governor’s commitment to reaching and exceeding 1,600 megawatts (MW) of solar in Massachusetts. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Vice President of State Affairs Sean Gallagher released the following statement

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary C. Peters, and Congressman John Conyers, Jr., announced the allocation of $8.9 million from the Community Development Block Grant Declared Disaster Recovery Fund (DDR) to the City of Detroit. The funds will help Detroit become better prepared for future floods and other natural disasters, and assist with planning and implementation costs associated with resilient projects in the Brightmoor, Mt. Elliot and McDougall-Hunt neighborhoods, stemming from August 2014 flooding damage

Edward Dacy, 77, most recently of West Melbourne, Fla., was sentenced today to six years in prison on charges stemming from a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme involving 45 properties and $16 million in mortgage loans used for the purchase of residential real estate in the District of Columbia and Maryland

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, with support from its Industry Defense Fund and in collaboration with 15 other real estate associations, has released a groundbreaking study on the economic effects of repealing Section 1031 of the United States tax code, also known as “like-kind” exchanges.

For decades, Pittsburgh has thrived as a regional entertainment media center, and as the setting for popular movies and television shows including Silence of the Lambs, Batman and Mr. Rogers’Neighborhood. The metro area has seen a total film industry economic impact of $1 billion since the formation in 1990 of the Pittsburgh Film Office, which markets the southwestern Pennsylvania region to film and TV producers. But competition within the U.S. and from overseas challenges the city’s ability to attract movie and TV productions.

As the nation remembers the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Lowe’s awarded Rebuilding Together a $150,000 grant and will partner with them on a two-day community revitalization effort August 10-11, 2015 in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. This effort will celebrate perseverance and continue the recovery of this diverse community that suffered some of the worst flooding during the storm

Markets in 75 of the approximately 360 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity in the second quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI) released today. This represents a year-over-year net gain of 13 markets.

Builder confidence in the single-family 55+ housing market remains in positive territory for the second quarter of 2015 with a reading of 57, according to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Despite the one-point dip from the previous quarter, this is the fifth consecutive quarter with a reading above 50

Achieving community resilience relies on the engagement and action of numerous stakeholders—from commercial and residential building owners to utilities and government leaders—and offering incentives provides a powerful mechanism to encourage tough decision making. At Building Innovation 2016: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fourth Annual Conference & Expo, Achieving a Resilient Future, to be held January 11-15, 2016, in Washington, D.C., participants will examine the multiple incentive packages available to these audiences to advance investment in mitigation and resilience.