Yearly Archives: 2016

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) is pleased to announce the appointments of Scott Spivey and Felipe Rael to the Bank's 2016 Affordable Housing Advisory Council (Council). Michelle Whetten, Cynthia Griffin, and Deborah Webster were reappointed to the Council. The new member appointments began January 1, 2016 and will serve three-year terms that expire on December 31, 2018.

The Boulder Group’s Research Department has released a new research report providing comprehensive numbers and analysis of the activity in the National Net Lease Big Box Market

Existing-home sales snapped back solidly in December as more buyers reached the market before the end of the year, and the delayed closings resulting from the rollout of the Know Before You Owe initiative pushed a portion of November's would-be transactions into last month's figure, according to the

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked the District of Columbia National Guard for providing critical assistance to D.C. authorities during this weekend’s snowstorm, but said that “it is absurd that the District does not have home-rule authority over its own National Guard in cases of emergency, as states do.” Norton earlier succeeded in getting authority for the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, rather than only the President, to deploy the Guard in order to avoid the federal bureaucracy necessary to call up the D.C. National Guard.

Today, on behalf of the White House Rural Council, six federal agencies joined together to announce 27 communities selected to participate in Local Foods, Local Places, a federal initiative helping people create walkable, healthy, economically vibrant neighborhoods through local food enterprise. Under Local Foods, Local Places, a team of experts will help community members set goals and plan projects like farmers markets, local food cooperatives, community gardens, and other food-related business that can boost local economies and drive neighborhood revitalization.

The newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA—which replaces No Child Left Behind—includes a number of key provisions that are aimed at addressing the problems with today’s testing systems in schools. The new law provides an opportunity for states and districts to move toward more coherent, aligned assessment systems that support student learning. There is a risk, however, that states and districts might not take advantage of this opportunity and might instead continue on their current paths

The “fourth industrial revolution,” involving machines communicating with each other, is imminent and will be as hugely impactful on the global economy and real estate industry as the three preceding industrial revolutions marked by the advent of steam-powered manufacturing, electricity and information technology, according to participants at a recent symposium held in Hong Kong by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the World Economic Forum.

The Rose Center for Public Leadership, jointly operated by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), is working this week with Birmingham Mayor William Bell to help the City, its partners and stakeholders develop a strategy that leverages the assets of the Birmingham Civil Rights District (BCRD)—including the City’s plan to invest $10 million dollars to renovate the historic A.G. Gaston Motel and build a new Freedom Center Public Policy Institute—into a sustainable, vibrant and revitalized urban center

The Broward County Homeless Initiative Partnership, in collaboration with the Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Broward Sheriff's Office, and Nova Southeastern University is seeking 200 volunteers to assist the Homeless Continuum of Care with the collection of data for the 2016 Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) Count Survey and Zero 2016 Registry Week beginning on Tuesday night, January 26th, through Thursday, January 28, 2016

Technology has reinvented the way Realtors® conduct real estate transactions and connect with clients, and staying up-to-date on new and emerging technologies is an essential part of the real estate profession. To help Realtors® stay abreast of latest mobile and online technologies, the National Association of Realtors® is continuing its one-day technology conference series, NAR Tech Edge.

National Association of Realtors® members now have access to two new offerings through the Realtors® Insurance Marketplace; members now have access to Realtors® Vision Insurance plans and Members TeleHealth, a telemedicine service plan

The New Mexico Environment Department, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractors signed two settlement agreements to resolve the State of New Mexico Environment Department’s claims against DOE and its contractors related to the February 2014 incidents at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad and the associated activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

We are pleased that the court has rejected petitioners' attempts to block the Clean Power Plan from moving forward while litigation proceeds. We are confident that the plan will reduce carbon pollution and deliver better air quality, improved public health, and jobs across the country.

The National Institute of Building Sciences kicked off the first day of educational programs Wednesday, January 13, at Building Innovation 2016: The Institute's Fourth Annual Conference and Expo with a breakfast keynoted by Judge Alice C. Hill (Retired), Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the White House National Security Council.

The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) announces the winners of its annual Industry and AHMA Awards, which will be presented at its March 6-8 meeting in Washington, D.C

Matt Lee-Ashley, Senior Fellow and Director of Public Lands at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s proposed rule to cut methane pollution from oil and gas development on public lands

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has long supported a nationwide plan to reconstruct our nation’s crumbling roads and bridges, which are critical to the nation's economy and security. The Association strongly believes that to achieve a sound investment of taxpayer dollars, legislation authorizing infrastructure construction and reconstruction using durable and resilient materials should be passed.

Executive Officer Holly Fraccaro of the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties (HBADOC) in North Carolina has been named EO of the Year by the Professional Women in Building Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Annemarie Mitchell, president and CEO of Legacy Timber Frames in Stillwater, N.Y., has been honored as the Member of the Year for the Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Monroe Street Market in Washington, D.C. has been selected as the Multifamily Community of the Year in the 2015 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)