Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, DC - May 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded today nearly $15 million to more than 200 public housing authorities across the U.S. to help public housing residents find jobs that lead them toward economic independence. For information on local funding amounts, visit HUD’s

COLUMBUS, OH - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) is partnering with The Ohio State University (OSU) to launch the Homeownership Investment Program. The program will provide additional support for OHFA homeowners before and after they purchase their home, to increase their mortgage sustainability and overall financial well-being. The new program will enhance the streamlined homebuyer education currently offered by the Agency in conjunction with OHFA's successful affordable mortgage program for first-time homebuyers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that among those who moved between 2009 and 2010, more than four out of 10 (16.4 million or 43.7 percent) did so for housing-related reasons, such as the desire to live in a new or better home or apartment, according to data from Geographical Mobility: 2010. Among other reasons for moving, people cited family concerns (30.3 percent), such as a change in marital status, employment needs (16.4 percent) and other factors (9.5 percent).

NEWARK, NJ - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Sims today awarded $18.4 million to revitalize the Alexander Hamilton development in Paterson, NJ. The high and low-rises formerly on the site will be replaced with 201 townhouse rental and for-sale units, as well as 70 off-site rental units for seniors. Sims made the announcement at the Paterson Housing Authority site, and was joined by Senator Frank Lautenberg, Congressman Bill Pascrell, Paterson Mayor Jeffrey Jones, and Paterson Housing Authority Executive Director Irma Gorham

ST. LOUIS, MO - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While publically available data can provide valuable information on broad housing market conditions in the St. Louis region, these sources do not pinpoint regional, county, or neighborhood house-price trends. Even expensive proprietary data may not be satisfactory.

BOISE, ID - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- John Insinger has been appointed to Idaho Housing and Finance Association’s (IHFA’s) Board of Commissioners. Insinger is currently an “of counsel” attorney to two law firms in Boise, Risch Pisca, LLP, and Goss Gustavel Goss, PLLC. As a partner of Risch Goss Insinger Gustavel, he spent 35 years as a private law practitioner focusing in general and commercial transactions and litigation.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A government-supported secondary market is absolutely critical to the apartment industry if it is to continue meeting the nation’s demand for affordable and workforce housing, according to testimony given today by Mark J. Parrell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Equity Residential.Parrell testified today on behalf of the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) before the Senate Banking Committee’s hearing on housing finance reform.

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total housing starts in California, as measured by the number of building permits issued, rose 2 percent in April, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging the owner of a five-unit apartment building in Lebanon, NH, with violating the Fair Housing Act for allegedly refusing to rent one of the building’s three residential units to families with children. HUD is bringing the charge on behalf of a mother with two children, who alleged that the owner, Robert Gerow, dared her to “turn him in” when she protested that his refusal to rent to children was unlawful.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) named David Reznick, co-founder and chairman of the board of Reznick Group, P.C., the 2011 recipient of the Daniel M. Grady Memorial Award, in recognition of his more than 30 years of contributions and dedication to the cause of affordable housing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With some members of Congress actively pushing to abolish Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and end the federal backstop for housing, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress today that maintaining an appropriate level of government support is absolutely essential to preserve financial stability.

Washington, DC - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Financial Services Committee and a leading champion for homeowners, delivered the following remarks today during a Subcommittee on Housing, Insurance, and Community Opportunity Hearing on “Legislative Proposals to Determine the Future Role of FHA, RHS and GNMA in the Single-and Multi-Family Mortgage Markets.”

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Overall housing affordability in California continued to increase in the first quarter of 2011, but half of the state’s 28 metropolitan areas included in the report showed decreases, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michael D. Berman, CMB, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity at a hearing entitled "Legislative Proposals to Determine the Future Role of FHA, RHS and GNMA in the Single-and Multi-Family Mortgage Markets."

Washington, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Administration plays a critical role in the nation’s housing financing system, providing safe, affordable mortgage financing to consumers in all markets during all economic conditions, the National Association of Realtors® said in testimony today

WASHINGTON, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded 10 public housing authorities nearly $34 million in grants today that will be used as seed money to create early childhood education and adult training facilities for public housing residents.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home builders who have embraced social media strategies for marketing their business, have seen extraordinary results. According to the second edition of Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It's Easier Than You Think, builders have seen results ranging from a 25-300 percent increase in website traffic, to increased customer referrals through using social media. This popular resource recently released by BuilderBooks, the publishing arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) teaches builders and residential construction professionals how to use social media tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, to increase their visibility and improve their sales results.

Washington, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vermont received national recognition for award-winning affordable housing programs on May 3 when the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development announced the Doorknocker Awards at the 20th anniversary of the HOME Program. The HOME Program is a block grant to states and cities used to fund housing affordable to lower-income Americans. The Green Mountain State took home two awards and an honorable mention in the competition, with only 14 awards presented nationally.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a time when qualified home buyers are experiencing difficulty in obtaining mortgages because of overly restrictive underwriting requirements, the federal government needs to ensure that a reliable and adequate flow of housing credit is available through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)."If we look to the dramatic increase of FHA's market share over the past few years, we can see how essential the program is for our nation's economic recovery," NAHB First Vice Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., told the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity.

New York, NY - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Flatbush Gardens Tenants Association filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court today against David Bistricer, a principal of Renaissance Equity Holdings LLC, which owns and operates Flatbush Gardens, the sprawling 59-building housing complex in Brooklyn. Renaissance and an affiliated LLC are also named as defendants.