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The American Planning Association (APA) is a national partner in the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) new "Prosperity Playbook" initiative. The initiative will convene regional experts in five locations to identify best practices for supporting economic mobility, expanding housing affordability and increasing access to opportunity-rich neighborhoods, education and jobs.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes dropped 9.2 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 494,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau

Chaban is the Chief Executive Officer of Princeton Properties, which acquires, builds, renovates, leases and manages apartment communities and corporate furnished apartments. Currently, Princeton Properties owns and manages more than 6,000 apartment homes for rent in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Georgia. Chaban is considered to be one of the foremost industry experts in the field of rehabilitation and management of multifamily rental housing.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today at a Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing used her time to ask three questions of particular concern to District of Columbia residents – lead levels in D.C.’s water supply, ground water testing in the Spring Valley neighborhood, and flooding of the National Mall and D.C. neighborhoods.

As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to cut energy waste in the nation’s buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today recognized the city of West Palm Beach for their leadership in improving energy efficiency across 1.4 million square feet of building space by 20 percent within 10 years. The city of West Palm Beach has met their Better Buildings Challenge goal of 20 percent energy reduction and today Mayor Jeri Muoio is announcing a new 15 percent energy reduction goal for 2025

Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (CA-34) was joined by Caucus Vice Chairman Joe Crowley (NY-14), Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) for a press conference, following Caucus meeting, to discuss Republicans’ unprecedented Supreme Court obstruction and their fumble on the budget, as well as the Flint water crisis.

The Federal Trade Commission has charged a debt relief operation with falsely representing to financially distressed homeowners and student loan borrowers that it would help get their mortgages and student loans modified. At the FTC’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted the operation. The agency seeks to permanently stop the alleged illegal practices and obtain refunds for affected consumers.

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, asked the Department of the Interior about its commitment to the Yakima River Basin during a hearing on the president’s FY 2017 budget request. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael Connor agreed with Sen. Cantwell that the Yakima River Basin plan “is a model for the rest of the nation in water management.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached settlements with nine gas stations in Alaska, Oregon and Washington to bring them into compliance with federal laws designed to protect underground sources of drinking water from fuel tanks stored below ground. The gas stations were subject to increased penalties for repeat violations, and some were blocked from receiving fuel shipments for continued non-compliance.

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ongoing efforts to boost opportunity in rural communities, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded six low-interest loans to local governments and community organizations that will spur rural economic development in five states. Secretary Vilsack announced the awards at the Legislative Conference of the National Association of Counties during a seminar with the White House Rural Council.

The U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) has announced the availability of Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program funding of $13 million to provide an estimated 6,000 veterans with job-driven training for in-demand jobs to help them successfully transition from homelessness to sustainable housing and good civilian jobs. Homeless veterans may receive occupational, classroom, and on-the-job training, as well as job search and placement assistance, including follow-up services.

The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is now accepting applications for its 2016 Executive Energy Leadership Program. NREL's Executive Energy Leadership Program, also known as Energy Execs, provides non-technical business, governmental, and community leaders throughout the country an opportunity to learn about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, analytical tools,

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) attended the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee’s hearing on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan today. House Democrats heard testimony on the ongoing emergency from public health experts and local officials. Below is a transcript of his remarks at the hearing, including the question he posed to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Director of the Pediatric Residency Program at Hurley Medical Center

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that requires the Environmental Protection Agency to disclose to the public anytime it uncovers evidence of serious lead pollution

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan “The drinking water crisis affecting Flint, Michigan, is a direct result of Republican policies to prioritize budget savings over the common good. Moreover, it is a tragic example of the broader failure to invest in public health and consumer safety, particularly as our country’s water systems age and require replacement.

Taiwan-based computer hardware maker ASUSTeK Computer, Inc. has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that critical security flaws in its routers put the home networks of hundreds of thousands of consumers at risk. The administrative complaint also charges that the routers’ insecure “cloud” services led to the compromise of thousands of consumers’ connected storage devices, exposing their sensitive personal information on the internet.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released her letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo-Ellen Darcy and District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) General Manager George Hawkins asking for an update on the status of lead levels in D.C.’s water supply given the ongoing lead contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, where Norton will travel next month as part of a congressional delegation.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today it has selected four student teams from universities across the country as the finalists in the Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition, a competition that seeks to encourage research and innovation in the areas of affordable housing design and planning. In April, one team from among these graduate student finalists will be chosen as the overall winner for having the best solution to redevelop the Monteria Village public housing development in Santa Barbara, California.

18F, the team of digital technology consultants housed within the General Services Administration, today announced plans to expand its consulting and acquisition services to assist federal agencies that provide grants to state and local programs. Since its launch in March 2014, 18F has grown from 15 to 165 people and helps federal agencies build, buy, and share efficient and easy-to-use digital services. 18F will partner with federal agencies providing grants to state and local programs to offer them the same best practices of human-centered, agile, and modular design.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is immediately taking possession of the Alexander County (IL) Housing Authority (ACHA). HUD is taking this action following a years-long pattern of financial and operational mismanagement, poor housing conditions, and alleged civil rights violations against the households the local housing authority was responsible for assisting