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WASHINGTON, DC - February 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) today released the following statement on the Administration’s report on Housing Finance Reform.

Destin, FL - February 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The best housing markets forecast in 2011 have been named by Housing Predictor, which forecasts local markets in all 50 U.S. states. Markets are annually selected by the real estate research firm, and updated as regional market conditions demand over the entire year.

February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- President Obama wants to cut $2.5 billion from a $5 billion home heating aid program in his 2012 budget proposal that will be sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, The Associated Press reported. The proposal reportedly would cut the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to its 2008 level of about $2.5 billion. The Vermont congressional delegation planned a rare joint press conference on Monday to discuss the budget.

February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), ranking Republican on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, today made the following statement regarding the White Paper released by the Obama Administration concerning the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The White Paper was a requirement of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform legislation.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) President Doug Bibby issued the following statement concerning today's release of the Obama Administration's proposal for reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. His statement is on behalf of NMHC and its joint legislative partner, the National Apartment Association.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the Obama Administration delivered a report to Congress that provides a path forward for reforming America's housing finance market. The Administration's plan will wind down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and shrink the government's current footprint in housing finance on a responsible timeline. The plan also lays out reforms to continue fixing the fundamental flaws in the mortgage market through stronger consumer protection, increased transparency for investors, improved underwriting standards, and other critical measures. Additionally, it will help provide targeted and transparent support to creditworthy but underserved families that want to own their own home, as well as affordable rental options.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the Obama Administration delivered a report to Congress that provides a path forward for reforming America’s housing finance market. The Administration’s plan will wind down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and shrink the government's current footprint in housing finance on a responsible timeline. The plan also lays out reforms to continue fixing the fundamental flaws in the mortgage market through stronger consumer protection, increased transparency for investors, improved underwriting standards, and other critical measures. Additionally, it will help provide targeted and transparent support to creditworthy but underserved families that want to own their own home, as well as affordable rental options.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) — Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement on the housing finance report released by the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

February 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Obama Administration’s report to Congress on “Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market” proposes important measures to address the long-neglected shortage of rental housing that is affordable for the lowest income Americans

WASHINGTON, DC - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- For the first time, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development today published the most authoritative analysis of the extent and nature of homelessness among Veterans. According to HUD and VA’s assessment, nearly 76,000 Veterans were homeless on a given night in 2009 while roughly 136,000 Veterans spent at least one night in a shelter during that year.

Washington, DC - February 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The three co-creators of Foreclosure-Response.org – the Urban Institute, the Center for Housing Policy, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) – have compiled and released the newest data on seriously delinquent mortgages for all 366 U.S. metro areas.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home builder sentiment for the mature-market sector retreated in the last quarter of 2010 when compared to the same period a year earlier. The National Association of Home Builders' 55+ Housing Market Index for single-family homes dropped three points to 14 from a year ago following annual declines in the second and third quarters of 2010."The normal course of purchasing a new home in anticipation of or upon entering retirement has been interrupted by the fall in Baby Boomers' house values and reduction in their home equity," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- For the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today published the most authoritative analysis of the extent and nature of homelessness among American veterans. According to HUD and VA’s assessment, nearly 76,000 veterans were homeless on a given night in 2009 while roughly 136,000 veterans spent at least one night in a shelter during that year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) called on Congress today to repeal all new expanded 1099 reporting requirements imposed in recent laws that will harm job creation and place a major paperwork and cost burden on the nation's small businesses.Testifying on behalf of NAHB before the House Small Business Committee, Mike Kegley, a builder from Union, Ky., and president of the Home Builders Association of Kentucky, told lawmakers that the collection of W-9 forms, monitoring payments over the course of a year, and additional staff time will cost individual small businesses thousands of dollars per year

COLUMBIA, MD - February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. (Enterprise), a national leader in affordable housing and community development, today announced that Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) has given the company approval to originate affordable multifamily loans nationally on its behalf. The new license granted to Enterprise rounds out the company’s agency platform, which already includes capacity to sell and service loans for Fannie Mae and FHA. Enterprise is among a handful of lenders approved to sell and service targeted affordable housing loans nationwide. These are loans on apartment properties with rents that are affordable to low- and very-low income individuals whose incomes are at or below 80 percent or 60 percent of the area median income, respectively.

Providence, RI - February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Lincoln D. Chafee today announced his plans to reactivate the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), which establishes a mechanism for Cabinet- and Director-level staff to come together to discuss better coordination of state activities for housing and homelessness. The ICH also develops strategies to address the problems associated with homelessness, makes recommendations aimed at reducing the number of homeless people in Rhode Island, and promotes and supports development of permanent supportive housing

WASHINGTON, DC - February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s Board of Governors recently passed two new policy positions in response to important, emerging issues. Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) Policy Position: BOMA International supports amending, if not the outright repeal of, FIRPTA to increase the amount of foreign capital invested in the U.S. commercial real estate market

February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- During an awards ceremony held at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Florida, the NAHB Research Center recognized twelve of the nation’s leading energy-efficient builders and remodelers with the Energy Value Housing Awards (EVHA). Now in its 16th year, the EVHA challenges builders to elevate standards for energy-efficient construction. Winners are selected from projects in three climate regions (Cold, Moderate, Hot) and five categories (Affordable, Custom/Demonstration, Multifamily, Production, and Existing Homes)

San Diego, CA - February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today awarded Catherine Rodewald, Vice President of Prudential Mortgage Capital Company, with the CREF Distinguished Service Award at the Association's 21st Annual Commercial Real Estate Finance (CREF)/Multifamily Housing Convention & Expo held in San Diego, CA. The award was given to Rodewald in recognition of her dedication and prominent service to MBA and the mortgage lending industry.

SACRAMENTO - February 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the City of Sacramento announced today that the Sacramento City Unified School District will be one of the first to obtain a Center for Green Schools Fellow.