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The Housing and Insurance Subcommittee held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss necessary changes to the appraisal industry. “Appraisals are one of the cornerstones of the home-buying process.  Issues that impact appraisers also impact nearly every American buying or selling a home, in rural and urban areas; in high- and low-income neighborhoods,” explained Subcommittee Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is returning the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette (HACL) to local control, five years after HUD assumed day-to-day administration of the once-troubled agency.  HUD took over operational control of the HACL in March of 2011 for substantial default of the agency’s obligations including financial mismanagement, misuse of funds, and a lack of leadership.

As part of the Interior Department’s reform agenda to create a cleaner and more sustainable energy future, and in furtherance of the Obama Administration’s Climate Action Plan, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced the Methane and Waste Prevention Rule – a final rule that will reduce the wasteful release of natural gas into the atmosphere from oil and gas operations on public and Indian lands.

The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on H.R. 866 (Rep. Diane Black), the “Federal Lands Freedom Act of 2015.” This bill will delegate control over responsible energy exploration to states.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today blasted Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) for wasting no time in introducing a bill yesterday to use congressional power to interfere with and alter the District of Columbia’s local occupational licensing laws. Meadows’ bill (H.R. 6312) targets occupational licensing laws in the District, military bases, and certain national parks. The bill also requires the D.C. Council to create a legislative committee or subcommittee on occupational regulations. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced an identical bill (S. 3158) in the Senate earlier this year

Seven U.S. courthouses are among the 17 federal buildings honored in this year’s General Services Administration Design Awards. Representing a mix of both modern and traditional architecture, these courthouses were honored based on a wide variety of criteria—ranging from functionality and public benefit to design and sustainability, as well as their aesthetic appeal

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released her biennial letter to new members of the House and Senate, offering useful information on why they might want to live in one of “the world’s most beautiful and pleasant cities” and inviting them to cosponsor her District of Columbia statehood bill.  The letter also discussed how D.C. is “the only city on the congressional agenda.” 

In some metropolitan areas of the country, families who depend upon the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program have limited choices about where they can find suitable affordable rental housing.  Often, their housing choices are constrained and higher opportunity neighborhoods remain out of reach because of the current method of calculating their rental assistance. 

Michelle Cho, an officer of Far East Construction Corporation (Far East) and other construction companies, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of conspiring to commit wire fraud. Cho also agreed to pay forfeiture in the amount of $169,166 and pay a criminal fine in the amount of $35,000.

U.S. General Services Administration’s hosted an industry day focused on the process of the the disposal of the Cotton Annex, a property in a prime location in the District of Columbia. The event had representatives from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the DC State Historic Preservation Office (DC SHPO), and the DC Office of Planning (DCOP)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced $18.5 million to 39 local public housing agencies across the country to provide a permanent home to an estimated 2,100 veterans experiencing homelessness.

President Obama’s leadership has catalyzed a global transition towards a clean energy economy. From 2010-2015 alone, the U.S. has invested in more than $11 billion in international clean energy finance – including grant-based assistance, development finance, and export credit – to support countries as they work to meet their growing energy needs, while improving development outcomes and reducing carbon emissions

On Tuesday, Mayor Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner will break ground on Deanwood Hills, a 150-unit affordable housing development located at 5201 Hayes Street, NE in Ward 7. This project is part of the New Communities Initiative (NCI), a District effort to revitalize some of DC’s most underserved neighborhoods. The groundbreaking represents the first activity on an NCI development in nearly four years.

The Justice Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released updated guidance today on the application of the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) to state and local land use and zoning laws.  The guidance is designed to help state and local governments better understand how to comply with the FHA when making zoning and land use decisions as well as to help members of the public understand their rights under the FHA.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources (MIEW) along with the Israel Innovation Authority today announced $4 million for five newly selected clean energy projects as part of the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program. Today’s announcement represents the eighth annual selection of BIRD Energy projects, which support President Obama’s efforts to develop low-carbon alternatives to traditional energy resources.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today issued formal guidance to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and others participating in the Department’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) on how to meet their fair housing, civil rights and relocation obligations during all phases of RAD’s conversion process. Read HUD’s notice.

Mayor Muriel Bowser along with Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Brenda Donald, Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Laura Zeilinger and the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) Director Kristy Greenwalt announced the progress that the District has made on the path to ending homelessness among veterans. Since August 2013, the District has housed nearly 1,800 veterans experiencing homelessness with 764 veterans housed in 2015

Advancing the President’s Climate Action Plan to create jobs, cut carbon pollution and develop clean domestic energy, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finalized its rule governing solar and wind energy development on public lands. The rule strengthens existing policies and creates a new leasing program that will support renewable energy development through competitive leasing processes and incentives to encourage development in suitable areas.