Yearly Archives: 2015

This week, five New England governors united across party lines in support of the HOME program(link is external), which provides critical funding for rental production, rent assistance, and home ownership. Governors Baker (R-MA), Hassan (D-NH), Malloy (C-CT), Raimondo (D-RI), and Shumlin (D-VT) all signed a letter to the New England federal delegation supporting the President’s budget recommendation of $1.8 billion for the HOME program, which the U.S. House and Senate

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for October 2015

Officials from Consumers Energy, Michigan State Police and prominent business organizations encouraged Michigan business owners and residents to take steps to protect themselves from ongoing customer scams that continue across the state entering this holiday season.

Led by a steep drop in multifamily production, nationwide housing starts fell 11 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.06 million units in October, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Multifamily starts declined 25.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 338,000 units while single-family production edged down 2.4 percent to 722,000 units. Both sectors posted permit gains.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark introduced the Higher Education Access and Success and Foster Youth Act, legislation to empower homeless and foster students to obtain higher levels of education and to lift traditional barriers to entry.  Education advocates report that current higher education policies regarding students’ independence, financial aid eligibility, and recruitment programs create barriers for homeless and foster youth trying to navigate a complex higher education system.

California’s housing market softened in October as both statewide sales and median price contracted from the previous month and is still on target to meet forecast projections, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

A Methuen business executive pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to defraud banks and mortgage companies by engaging in sham “short” sales of residential properties in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts

The Obama Administration is committed to addressing climate change, promoting clean energy, and creating good paying jobs.  That is why, at a National Community Solar Summit at the White House today, the Administration is announcing 68 cities, states, and businesses are joining together to promote community solar, with an emphasis on scaling up solar for low- and moderate- income households.

Builder confidence in the market for newly constructed single-family homes slipped three points to 62 in November from an upwardly revised October reading on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

To help prepare your home for holiday visitors, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers offers home maintenance tips that are designed to increase safety and accessibility for older family and friends who visit this holiday season.

Consumers Energy has donated nearly $7,300 of furniture and other office items from its former Clare Service Center to four Clare County nonprofit organizations and the City of Clare.

Working alongside people around the world in need of decent, affordable shelter, Habitat for Humanity improved housing in partnership with 1.8 million people in fiscal year 2015 as stated in its new annual report, “Together We Build.” Since 1976, Habitat has helped 6.8 million people through housing opportunities and solutions, enabling them to achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build brighter futures.

The Regis Houze, the first project of the Capital Impact Partners-managed Woodward Corridor Investment Fund (WCIF), held its ribbon-cutting ceremony today in a prime location just off Woodward Avenue in the New Center area of Detroit.

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) released an analysis of home purchase and small business lending in Baltimore, Maryland, and the surrounding areas. The analysis reveals deep racial disparities in mortgage lending.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a Conciliation Agreement with Mortgage One, Inc., of Sterling Heights, Michigan, resolving allegations of lending discrimination againstan applicant with disabilities.  HUD claimed Mortgage One and loan officer Nancy Doody required the mortgage applicant to provide intrusive and unnecessary documentation regarding his disabilities before approving his FHA-insured mortgage. 

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today installed its 2016 Leadership Team. Leading the team is C.A.R. President Pat “Ziggy” Zicarelli, a second-generation REALTOR® and broker in Southern California. Serving with Zicarelli are President-elect Geoff McIntosh, Treasurer Jared Martin, and Chief Executive Officer Joel Singer.

Integratec, a leading provider of cloud-based full life-cycle real estate investment management software and data aggregation services, is pleased to announce a new Developer Central client, BRIDGE Housing

In an effort to secure funding for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Levee Project, Parish President Natalie Robottom participated in a Congressional Roundtable before the United States Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Friday morning. At the request of Congressman Graves, the meeting was held in New Orleans at the Louisiana State Supreme Court and the discussion focused on “The Importance of Port, Waterway, Flood Control & Ecosystem Restoration Improvements to the Nation’s Economy: Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)”.

Attorney General Matt Denn’s office has filed suit against the owner of three Delaware manufactured housing communities for attempting to financially pressure tenants to give up their legal right to arbitrate proposed rent increases

Attorney General Matt Denn’s office has filed suit against the owner of three Delaware manufactured housing communities for attempting to financially pressure tenants to give up their legal right to arbitrate proposed rent increases