Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Thomas Vetter, MIRM, Master CSP, CMP, CSP, was appointed 2011 Vice Chair of the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC)this month during the NAHB Spring Board of Directors Meeting in Washington, D.C.Vetter is president of the western division at Accelerated Marketing Partners, a full service residential real estate marketing and consulting firm, based in Danville, Calif. He will begin his term as NSMC Chair during the 2012 NAHB International Builders Show in Orlando, Fla.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced a settlement agreement with Cornerstone Mortgage Company (Cornerstone), a national mortgage lender based in Houston, which HUD accused of engaging in discriminatory lending practices against expectant mothers. In a separate action, HUD is charging Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and others with engaging in pregnancy discrimination in issuing mortgage insurance in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

NEW YORK, NY - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Cogswell Realty LLC, a Manhattan-based real estate firm that owns, manages and develops commercial and residential properties in the New York Metropolitan Area, today announced the appointment of Avi Fisher as Vice President of Acquisitions

DAYTON, OH - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-11, 2011), St. Mary Development Corporation has updated its searchable affordable housing database to include Hamilton, Brown and Clermont counties. The database already included eight Ohio counties: Butler, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Warren.

NEW YORK, NY - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- ADG Langsam and Halstead Property Development Marketing today announced the launch of sales at 148 East 24th Street, a new residential condominium in the Gramercy Park area of Manhattan.

Jersey City, NJ - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- SILVERMAN, the developers of Hamilton Square, announced today that more than 50% of units are sold at the premier loft and condo development in the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City.

Destin, FL - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Americans want more from the U.S. Congress, according to a new independent survey and Congress needs to start by forcing banks to modify home mortgages for those at risk of foreclosure.

BURLINGTON VT - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Executive Director Sarah Carpenter announced Jacklyn Santerre of Colchester has been promoted from Assistant Director of Homeownership Programs to Director of Home...

Washington, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Seventeen local and state Realtor® associations have been awarded over $60,000 through the Housing Opportunity Program Grants, a National Association of Realtors® grant program. The funds will be used by the associations to promote and expand affordable housing opportunities in their communities.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Financial and nonprofit veteran Kenny Emson has been named Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration for the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC). As a member of the Council’s senior leadership team, Emson will oversee the organization’s financial and administrative operations and will participate in the strategic planning process.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that USA4SALE Network, Inc., has agreed to pay $15,000 to settle claims that it violated the Fair Housing Act when it posted ads on its Web sites that discriminated against families with children. In addition, the company has also agreed to change the way its Web sites filter discriminatory language.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced Green Refinance Plus, a program between HUD’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Fannie Mae to allow owners of existing affordable rental housing properties to refinance into new mortgages that include funding for energy- and water-saving upgrades, along with other needed property renovations.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Business Solutions, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, and Freddie Mac today announced plans to help community banks compete in the purchase money mortgage market and help fuel the nation's housing recovery by extending their 9-year old alliance.

May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MHDC Chairman Jeffrey S. Bay convened a special meeting on Thursday, May 26, at which the Board of Commissioners approved a proposal to provide housing to Missouri residents who were displaced as a result of recent disasters. The Board unanimously agreed to provide immediate shelter for people who are homeless and to provide assistance to those in imminent danger of becoming homeless

BIRMINGHAM, AL - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Operation Clean Sweep is in full swing to pick up and remove tornado debris in eligible jurisdictions by the recently extended deadline of July 12. Property owners can help expedite debris removal by completing paperwork allowing debris teams to enter private property.

Las Vegas, NV - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Shanta Patton of Realty ONE Group in Las Vegas has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance, with a particular emphasis on short sales. At a time when millions of homeowners are struggling with the possibility of foreclosure, the skills and education amassed by Patton will help benefit Las Vegas/Henderson area residents and communities.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The “new normal” favors more renting, which requires new thinking about our housing policy, according to speakers at the National Multi Housing Council’s (NMHC) Mid-Year Apartment Strategies/Finance Conference and Board of Directors meeting held this week in Palm Beach, FL.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The latest National Delinquency Survey issued by the Mortgage Bankers Association for the first quarter shows late mortgage payments and foreclosure starts have been dropping since the end of 2009. However, when you view the bigger picture, the housing market remains shaky, with millions of homeowners still at risk of losing their home.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced the final Fiscal Year 2011 block grant allocations to approximately 1,200 state and local governments under the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), and the Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESG). Read more about how HUD’s block grant programs will be allocated at the state and local level.

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