Archives

New York, NY - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will join New York real estate industry executives and union leaders on Monday to recognize New York City's first class of green building superintendents to graduate from the 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Green Supers training program. Green Supers is an ambitious labor-management green buildings program, launched just over a year ago with Mayor Bloomberg, to train superintendents and resident managers in the latest state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of South Dakota and provide support to homeowners and low-income r...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nationwide housing starts fell 10.6 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 523,000 units as concerns regarding competition from foreclosures, a lack of consumer confidence in the housing market and the inability to secure production credit caused builders to slow production, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Commerce Department.“While mortgage rates are low and house prices are as affordable as they’ve been in a generation, the decline in April’s housing starts is indicative of the low level of confidence that consumers have in the housing market,” said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev.

May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has been tracking wasteful spending at public housing authorities including those in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico. He made the following comment on an audit released today, s...

WASHINGTON, DC - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- All across America, there are homes that can actually harm those who live in them. From lead-based paint that can poison children, to cancer-causing radon, to cockroach and bedbug infestations. Next month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is hosting a National Healthy Homes Conference in Denver that will explore the latest research and interventions from dozens of public health, housing, and environmental experts from more than 200 organizations.

Edison, NJ - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Mortgage Network, Inc. (REMN), a national mortgage lender based in River Edge, N.J., is pleased to announce the launch of Menlo Park Funding, a new branch opportunity for select independent brokers and bankers. Menlo Park Funding will be the fourth business channel in REMN’s existing wholesale, retail and consumer direct divisions.

DURHAM, N.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Business owners interested in making signage or building improvements in targeted areas inside the city limits should take note of three grant opportunities now available through the City of Durham.

BOISE, ID - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --There is still hope for hundreds of homeowners who are struggling to avoid foreclosure. Idaho Housing and Finance Association is still accepting applications for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the $13 million home saving program on April 1st. Since the announcement, IHFA has sent out more than 700 applications, and only 287 have been returned for review

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- America’s infrastructure investments – levels of which have long trailed behind those of Asia and Europe – will be further stifled this year by pressures to cut federal spending and reduce the deficit, compelling cities to be evermore creative and resourceful in securing partnerships to start or continue infrastructure projects, according to Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priority.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday the House Committee on Appropriations released its draft 302b allocations, the amounts each of the 12 appropriations subcommittees will have available to spend on their respective FY12 funding bills. The allocation for the subcommittee that funds HUD, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) subcommittee, is budgeted $7.7 billion below the FY11 final appropriation, a 14% cut.

Kansas City, KS - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Officials from Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas and the Kansas Preservation Alliance celebrated the grand opening of Lowell School Apartments, a new affordable housing development serving the elderly and adults with disabilities. The historic rehab converted a vacant elementary school into 26 energy-efficient, loft-style apartments. Rents for the one, two and three bedroom units range from $450 to $650

NORWALK, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Seller’s Extravaganza of the eight remaining condominium units at Lockwood Terrace in Norwalk will be held Saturday, May 21st from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site at 130 Main Street, William Raveis Real Estates’ New Homes Division announced.

Greenbelt, MD - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bozzuto Group today announced that it has earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for two residential developments in its portfolio. The Fitzgerald, a mixed-use community in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district, has received LEED Silver Certification and Riverwalk at Millennium, an apartment community in suburban Philadelphia, has received LEED Certification.

New York, NY - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Citi Foundation and NeighborWorks America today announced the launch of a collaboration to expand and strengthen financial capability programs for thousands of low- and moderate-income Americans. These programs help consumers establish positive behaviors to achieve immediate and long-term financial goals through financial education and access to appropriate financial products. As many as 65,000 people may benefit from the new $5 million, two-year demonstration project.

Washington, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today NeighborWorks America announced that it was named one of the nation’s largest residential home builders, according to Builder Magazine’s 2010 Builder 100 list. NeighborWorks America was ranked No. 46 in its second year on the Builder 100, with 503 closings of for-sale housing completed by its network of local NeighborWorks organizations. In addition to the overall ranking for productivity in 2010, NeighborWorks America was also named the No. 5 builder of affordable housing. NeighborWorks America debuted on the Builder 100 for 2009 at No. 82 for for-sale closings.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While the past few years have been challenging for many, owning a home continues to be a goal for Americans of every background, according to John D. Trasviña, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at the low level of 16 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The index has now remained at this level for six out of the past seven months.“Builder confidence has hardly budged over the past six months as persistent concerns regarding competition from distressed property sales, lack of production credit, inaccurate appraisals, and proposals to reduce government support of housing have continued to cloud the outlook,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.

BOISE, ID - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- All of Idaho will soon benefit from a proactive fair housing awareness campaign, thanks to a partnership among Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA), Department of Commerce and the City of Boise. IHFA supported initial efforts by Boise’s Fair Housing Task Force to develop the campaign, and has adapted those materials for statewide distribution.

ANCHORAGE, AK - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) will close the Anchorage Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list, effective June 1, 2011. AHFC will continue to accept applications in person or by mail i...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- David H. Stevens, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, testified today before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs' Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development on "The Need for National Mortgage Servicing Standards."