Monthly Archives: June 2016

Ed Brady, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Bloomington, Ill., issued the following statement regarding the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas’ decision in National Federation of Independent Business et al. V. Perez et. al. granting the Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction

Twenty-six extraordinary developments from around the globe have been selected as finalists in ULI’s 2016 Global Awards for Excellence, widely recognized as one of the land use industry’s most prestigious awards programs. This year’s finalists include two in Asia, six in Europe, and 18 in North America.

Award-winning international firm KTGY Architecture + Planning announced today that the City of Fremont recently celebrated the groundbreaking of Locale @ State Street, Downtown Fremont’s first mixed-use project. The new transit-oriented residential and retail development, designed by KTGY, was made possible through a public/private partnership between the City of Fremont, TMG Partners, SARES-REGIS Group, and Summerhill Homes.

Dr. Mark Davis is the new director of the Biosciences Center at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

In a speech at the National Press Club, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) called for the development of policies that promote and accelerate energy efficiency and smart buildings, in light of new research demonstrating the energy savings that come from investing in energy efficiency technologies

For many individuals convicted of minor crimes, finding jobs and decent housing is so challenging that many are at extreme risk of homelessness or reentering the criminal justice system. Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded $8.7 million to address homelessness and reduce recidivism among this justice-involved population through the Pay for Success model. See list of grantees below.

Ed Brady, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Bloomington, Ill., today issued the following statement regarding the tax policy plank of House Speaker Paul Ryan’s six-part policy agenda

The National Real Estate Investors Association (NREIA) announced this week that three of its chapters received an “Award of Excellence” at their annual MidYear meeting, which took place last weekend in Atlanta, GA.  Awards were given for outstanding efforts in six major categories (Government Affairs, Community Service, Communications, Membership, Education and Strategic Industry Partners Marketing.  Three chapters (one from each size group; Small, Medium and Large) received an award.

The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) announces that it has released a new Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, rules by which its members must abide. Because NAEBA members only work with buyers and never sellers, the organization is able to make its standards more stringent than other organizations of real estate agents. For example, the NAEBA Code of Ethics states, “A NAEBA member shall provide undivided loyalty to a Buyer-Client and not advance the interests of sellers, themselves, or their real estate company above the interests of the Buyer-Client.”

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today an improved Tribal Government-to-Government Consultation Policy and is seeking public comment on a plan to establish a newTribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. Together, these two actions will strengthen the framework of HUD’s relations with tribes.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Terwilliger Center for Housing has announced the finalists for this year’s Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Award, which honors developments that ensure housing affordability for people with a range of incomes.

1,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau. This is 6.0 percent (±12.8%)* below the revised April rate of 586,000 but is 8.7 percent (±14.6%)* above the May 2015 estimate of 507,000

Sales of newly built, single-family homes dropped 6 percent in May from a downwardly revised April reading to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 551,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ranking Member Robert Menendez (D-NJ) of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development introduced S. 3083, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), to streamline and reform several federal housing assistance programs. This legislation is essentially identical to legislation the House of Representatives passed unanimously in February, H.R. 3700, on which NCSHA has previously reported.

The U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture today announced more than $47 million in investments to help water districts and producers on private working lands better conserve water resources. The funds include $15 million in USDA funds and $32.6 million from the Bureau of Reclamation for local projects to improve water and energy efficiency and provide a strengthened federal response to ongoing and potential drought across 13 states in the West.

Mercy Housing, Inc., one of the nation’s largest affordable housing nonprofits, is launching a partnership with Promise Energy, Inc. to increase solar energy use across Mercy Housing’s portfolio. Since affordable housing communities usually operate on thin margins and have limited roof space, they often struggle to implement solar energy programs. Through their partnership, Mercy Housing and Promise Energy intend to show that affordable housing can, and should, be solarized.

Schneider Electric will continue its partnership with Habitat for Humanity to provide residential equipment for Habitat homes and help families secure affordable housing. Schneider Electric’s commitment over the next year will include nearly $3.6 million in product and financial donations.

World Green Building Council Board of Directors. Templeton was appointed to the Board for his leadership in the green building movement and dedication to improving the sustainability of buildings, both in the U.S. and around the world.