Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, DC - July 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging James and Julia Norton, a couple who owns rental property in Brown County, Wisconsin, with violating the Fair Housing Act for allegedly establishing different terms for a single mother’s tenancy, including requiring her to be at home when her teenage son had visitors. HUD’s charge also claims that the Nortons’ lease agreement included policies and rules restricting and imposing limitations on families with children.

Phuket, Thailand - July 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Engineering consultants presented their feasibility study for the controversial Kathu to Patong tunnel project during a meeting held at the Royal Phuket City Hotel in Phuket Town earlier this week.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In the midst of a slow recovery from a prolonged recession, home prices have dropped and some employers are slowly starting to hire. Yet workers in many newly filled jobs still may not be able to afford housing at the wages currently being offered. The latest edition of the Paycheck to Paycheck database from the Center for Housing Policy (the Center) reveals the gap between wages and the costs of housing, both rental and owned, in more than 200 U.S. metro areas for workers in 72 occupations.

Kansas City, KS - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is urging troubled homeowners to apply for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP) which could offer up to $50,000 in forgivable mortgage assistance. Only three days remain before the July 22nd deadline, so interested applicants must act quickly!

New York, NY - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel, Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Marc Jahr announced todaythe City has reached a major milestone in its affordable housing plan, the New Housing Marketplace Plan.

GREENSBORO, NC - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The City of Greensboro’s Human Relations Department and the Human Relations Commission’s International Advisory Committee are offering a free educational workshop on fair housing to Sudanese and...

ORLANDO, FL - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida’s existing condo sales rose 8 percent in June with a total of 7,941 units sold statewide compared to 7,330 sold in June 2010, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $93,900; a year earlier, it was $92,300 for a 2 percent increase.

San Francisco, CA - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee today introduced legislation at the Board of Supervisors updating the Municipal Green Building Code to require U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for all municipal construction and major renovation projects over 5,000 square feet after September 1, 2011. Currently, only LEED Silver certification is required for municipal buildings, while LEED Gold is required for private sector buildings starting in 2012. This legislation updates green building standards for municipal construction projects that will secure San Francisco’s place as a national leader in resource efficient building.

Torrance, CA - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Experts with the University of Southern California Lusk Center for Real Estate say population growth and demographic shifts – particularly the ongoing maturation of a diverse, well-educated Gen Y – will drive improvements in the real estate market over the next 10 years

New York , NY - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Victor A. Gonzalez as the first public housing resident to be named a member of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Board. In April 2011, the City announced it would add a new seat on the Board, creating a new Resident Board Member position. More than 600 residents from all five boroughs applied. Gonzalez’s appointment is effective July 20, 2011, when he will join NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea, Vice Chair Emily Youssouf and Board Member Margarita López at his first board meeting. NYCHA board members form the Authority’s governing body and are responsible for voting on contracts, resolutions, policies, motions, rules and regulations and administrative matters.

Washington, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mike Turner, Co-Chair of the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus, has introduced legislation to encourage homeowners to preserve homes of historical significance across the coun...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Green Affordable Housing Coalition kicks off its first forum Wednesday, July 20, convening experts in housing preservation, finance, and green retrofits for a discussion on how to address challenges and barriers to finding the financial support needed to “green” existing affordable housing. Key issues to be discussed include what green retrofit financing sources are available now, what financing sources are still needed, and what roadblocks could interfere with much-needed green retrofits of multifamily affordable housing.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As President Obama and Congress continue their negotiations on a package to increase the debt ceiling, the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) are urging lawmakers to reject proposals to change the tax treatment of carried interest,[1] which would have a devastating effect on affordable housing.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in May and June.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The majority of those surveyed would squat in a vacant home if things got so bad economically they were forced to do so, according to a new Housing Predictor opinion poll

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nationwide housing starts rose 14.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 629,000 units in June, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department today. This was the best pace of housing production since the beginning of the year, and was attributable to significant gains registered in both the single-family and multifamily segments as well as every region of the country."Today's numbers are an encouraging sign that builders are responding to improving consumer interest in new homes and apartments by gradually replenishing their extremely thin inventories in places where demand is evident," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "That said, the lack of access to construction credit remains an impediment to starting new projects and getting building crews back to work in markets that are improving."

COLUMBIA, MO - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Missourians who suffered damage or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding and received a disaster loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are urged to complete and return the application by the July 29, 2011 deadline.

IRVINE, CA - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that it is providing architectural design services for a new, mixed-use, 183,000-square-foot graduate student housing project to be developed by Hanover Pacific, LLC, in downtown Pomona, Calif., adjacent to the campus of Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU), a private, non-profit graduate school for health professions.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The California Association of Community Managers (CACMSM) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at this year’s Statewide Expo & Conference at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim on July 28-July 29.

Jacksonville, FL - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) is augmenting service capabilities in Jacksonville’s multifamily investment properties market. Brian Moulder is joining the CBRE Multi-Housing Group (MHG) as a Senior Vice President, partnering with Vice Chairman, Dan Allen, and Senior Associate, Dhaval Patel. Moulder has served the southeast multifamily markets since 2003, most recently with Southeast Apartment Partners in Atlanta, GA.