Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 16.9 percent in February to a record-low seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000 units, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department."Today's report is primarily a reflection of consumer uncertainty regarding the overall economy," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "A recent Gallup poll confirmed that the economy is Americans' top concern right now. At the same time, even qualified buyers who are ready to make a purchase are facing frustrating challenges in terms of tight consumer lending conditions and inappropriately low appraisal values on new construction."

Washington, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --The Hanley Foundation, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council and its Greenbuild International Conference & Expo; EcoHome magazine and Hanley Wood, is proud to announce the launch of the 2011 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainable Housing. Entering its third year, this annual award honors an individual or organization that demonstrates extraordinary, lasting and far-reaching contributions to the advancement of sustainable housing in the United States. The award winner will receive $50,000, the largest annual grant given for advancing sustainable housing. The 2011 award will be presented at the USGBC Hanley Award Dinner at the Greenbuild Residential Summit in Toronto this October, which has become a magnetic annual event attracting green building leaders from all sectors of the industry

March 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- BURLINGTON—Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) has passed a major milestone: The Agency has issued more than $3 billion in bonds to finance homeownership and rental opportunities for low- and moderate-income Vermonters.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The economy continues to show increasing signs of self-sustaining momentum, however an unexpected jump in oil prices and the potential for further tightening of fiscal policy suggest less economic momentum than previously believed, according to the March 2011 Economic Outlook released today by Fannie Mae's (FNMA/OTC) Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group. Projected economic growth for the year was lowered to 3.5 percent — down slightly from 3.7 percent in February 2011, but up from 2.7 percent annual growth in 2010.

Washington, DC - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Keeping manufactured housing affordable by reducing the constraints on lending and instituting a responsible regulatory environment took center stage as over 90 MHI members flocked to Capitol Hill for the annual MHI Legislative Conference.

March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- USAA Real Estate Company has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. USAA Real Estate Company’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010. USAA Real Estate Company is the only real estate company in America that has won nine ENERGY STAR awards.

Upper Marlboro, MD - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the NAHB Research Center hosted an online presentation for building product manufacturers on which products were most (and least) frequently used in homes Green Certified to the National Green Building Standard last year. The information was gathered and analyzed by the company’s market research division.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that 17 communities will be the first recipients of Planning Grant funding through the Department’s new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.

March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) voiced strong objections to a bill brought forward by House Republicans today that threatens to eliminate resources that would create jobs and affordable housing in Rhode Island. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) Termination Act (H.R. 861) would end a proven successful effort to revitalize neighborhoods, as well as save and rehabilitate buildings and foreclosed property. NSP has already resulted in 100 new homebuyers purchasing and restoring previously foreclosed properties in Rhode Island and 165 foreclosed homes being acquired for non-profit

WASHINGTON, DC - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that Charles Schwab Bank has agreed to pay $30,000 settling allegations that the bank refused to accept a loan application from the adult son of a Metairie, Louisiana woman with disabilities. The son, who was acting with his mother’s power of attorney, tried to apply for a loan on his mother’s behalf, but was told that the bank did not accept powers of attorney for “incapacitated borrowers.”

BATON ROUGE, LA - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced an effort to reform and streamline the state’s disparate housing agencies, including the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency (LHFA), into one streamlined Louisiana Housing Corporation that would oversee all housing funds in the state, uniting almost 30 separate programs currently managed by five organizations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Fannie Mae announced the results of its annual Help the Homeless Program, which raised $6.5 million in 2010 for non-profit beneficiary organizations that work to prevent and end homelessness in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Washington, D.C. - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected the 18 recipients of the 2011 Housing Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards Program, now in its 11th year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Members of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International will bring their message to lawmakers around the country the week of March 20 as part of BOMA’s annual National Issues Conference. As part of an industry that supports one million jobs in the United States and contributes $118 million to GDP in office building operating outlays alone, BOMA members will meet with their Representatives and Senators to explain the critical role commercial real estate plays in a thriving economy and to gain support for key industry issues. Because of the new Congressional work schedule, the conference, which usually takes place in Washington, D.C., will be held locally around the U.S while lawmakers are in their home districts.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled “The Administration’s Report to Congress: Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Generation X –young families and adults ages 31 to 45 – are likely to lead the home buying recovery as it gets underway, according to real estate experts who spoke at an educational webinar produced by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).These potential home buyers are most likely to think it's a good time to get off the fence – and have strong opinions about the design features their new homes will include.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Restoring the flow of acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) lending that has been choking off credit for home builders and impeding job growth took center stage today as 500 builders from across the country converged on Capitol Hill for the annual NAHB Legislative Conference."Our message to Congress is simple and straightforward," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nevada. "Unless we resolve the ongoing credit problems for home builders – the vast majority who are small business owners who employ less than 10 workers – the industry will lose even more jobs, resulting in longer-term economic damage."

LINCOLN, NEB. - March 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --The recently-released 2006-2010 CDBG Investments and Impacts brochure contains eye-opening statistics related to Nebraska’s strategic use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

March 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Financial pressures on contractors grew worse in February as prices for key construction materials rose sharply even as prices construction firms charge for completed projects remained stagnant, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Association officials said the price squeeze will make it harder for the construction industry to recover and urged federal officials to act on a series of recovery measures the group outlined yesterday

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new resource for builders and remodelers looking for answers on the critical question of how to detect and remediate problematic drywall imported from China in recent years is now available from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)."Imported Problematic Drywall: