Yearly Archives: 2017

Granger MacDonald, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Kerrville, Texas, today issued the following statement regarding the steps taken today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to rescind the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule

ACHIEVING AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE: President Donald J. Trump has taken action in his first five months to remove unnecessary and burdensome roadblocks that would have prevented the United States from achieving energy dominance.

The U.S. Department Veterans Affairs (VA) and Veterans Matter — a program that provides security deposits to homeless Veterans in 14 states and the District of Columbia — today announced that, through their joint efforts, they have helped 1,500 Veterans exit homelessness and move into permanent housing.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has awarded Habitat for Humanity $4,887,750 in funds to support 350 AmeriCorps National member positions for 2017-2018. The funds will support Habitat AmeriCorps members who will serve in 36 states and in Washington, D.C.

The House Committee on Natural Resources advanced H.R. 2939, the “Water Rights Protection Act of 2017.” Introduced by Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO), the bill protects privately held water rights from federal overreach.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), welcomed the news of industry and regulatory veteran, Kelly Speakes-Backman, being named the first CEO of the Energy Storage Association (ESA). Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO:

Honolulu, Boston, Baltimore, Miami and Memphis are the hardest cities to add necessary new apartments, according to new research from Hoyt Advisory Services (HAS), commissioned by the National Apartment Association (NAA) and National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC). The research examines and ranks 50 metro areas based on specific factors, including local regulations and the amount of available land to develop.

MISMO®, the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization, has updated the proposed data standard for the exchange of rent roll information on commercial property and has released the proposed standard for a second public comment period. The public comment period will last through Friday, July 28th, 2017.

Granger MacDonald, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Kerrville, Texas, today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Commerce Department’s preliminary decision to impose up to 7.7 percent anti-dumping duties on Canadian lumber imports

Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors, a nationally-recognized real estate brokerage and advisory firm specializing in retail property sales, announced today that the firm completed the sale of a two-tenant retail building occupied by T.J. Maxx and ULTA Beauty at 78-825 Highway 111 in La Quinta, Calif. The 33,708-square-foot pad building is part of Washington Park Shopping Center, which includes major tenants Target, Lowe’s, Trader Joe’s, ALDI, Stein Mart and Century Theatres. The sale price was $8,862,500.

Thomas W. Toomey, Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of UDR, Inc., a $16 billion multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT) based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, has been named the new Global Chairman of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real estate organization whose work is driven by 40,000-plus members dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities. Mr. Toomey, a longtime ULI member, ULI Trustee and ULI Foundation Governor, will serve a two-year term that ends June 30, 2019.

While meeting with local, state and federal officials in Nevada today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced that more than 1,900 local governments around the country will receive $464.6 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2017. Nevada has more federally-owned land than any other state (as a percentage) and will receive $26,184,790

Existing housing inventory has declined year over year each month for two straight years, but new consumer findings from the National Association of Realtors® offer hope that the growing number of homeowners who think now is a good time to sell will eventually lead to more listings.

In a continuous effort to keep families and their children safe from lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded more than $127 million to 48 state and local government agencies (see chart below)

America’s number one real estate agent doesn’t cater to the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, or the titans of Wall Street in Manhattan. Ben Caballero is the broker-owner of HomesUSA.com®, based in Addison, Texas, and sells new homes to Texans for more than 60 top builders in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

Fulton Supply Lofts, a recently completed loft conversion project in downtown Atlanta, has been awarded the 2017 Design Excellence Award from the City of Atlanta Urban Design Commission for its historic authenticity and sustainable design. The property has also been given the first EarthCraft certification by the Southface Energy Institute for energy conservation and sustainability in a multifamily restoration.

With planning underway for Building Innovation 2018: The National Institute of Building Sciences Sixth Annual Conference and Expo, the Institute welcomes the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) as the returning Technical Programs Sponsor. This is the third straight year that IAPMO has taken the role.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $849,601 to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to help protect human health and the environment through a Nonpoint Source Program Clean Water Act Section 319 grant. This grant is given to states to implement environmental programs that address nonpoint source pollution in surface and ground water in order to meet and maintain water quality standards.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes in May rose 2.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 610,000 units after an upwardly revised April reading, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau today jointly announced the following new residential sales statistics for May 2017