News

Commercial real estate markets are improving with Realtors® specializing in commercial real estate reported an increase in annual gross income, the number of sales transactions and sales volume, according to the 2015 National Association of Realtors® Commercial Member Profile.

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in June rose five points to a level of 59 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. This is the highest reading since September 2014

Following an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack on May 29, 2015, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced that all 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. may now apply for up to $100 million in grants under the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). The funding is to support the infrastructure needed to make more renewable fuel options available to American consumers. The Farm Service Agency will administer BIP

This week, the House approved their version of the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 2577) by a vote of 216 to 210. The bill includes funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other related agencies.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today issued a revised policy under its Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Program giving FHA-approved lenders expanded options to allow eligible ‘non-borrowing spouses’ the potential to remain in their home following the death of the last surviving borrower. Read FHA’s new mortgagee letter.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged the owners of a three-story Salt Lake City, Utah, apartment building with violating the Fair Housing Act by making housing

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) announced today its concerns regarding the racial disparities in homeownership rates in the United States. Throughout the month of June, politicians, policy makers, financial institutions and organizations throughout the country will be hosting and participating in events, rallies and ceremonies that highlight the importance of homeownership. NAREB is offering solutions to increase Black homeowner rates.

Disasters of any type can be costly for businesses and even result in permanent closure. To help New Orleans businesses prepare for disasters, free workshops will feature Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety(IBHS) business continuity expert Gail Moraton.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global research and education organization dedicated to leadership in land use and creating thriving, sustainable communities, today released the fifth edition of one of its all-time best-selling titles, Real Estate Development: Principles and Process. Since the first edition was published in 1991, the book has served as one of the leading college textbooks for courses on real estate development, urban planning, architecture, and real estate finance.

Cities continuing to struggle with finances have been increasingly relying on user charges and fees, according to an analysis of freshly updated data from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s database on local government finance, Fiscally Standardized Cities

the Committee on Natural Resources approved six bills during a Full Committee markup on H.R. 387, H.R. 521, H.R. 1289, H.R. 1992, H.R. 2295, H.R. 2358, and H.R. 2647. On the passage of H.R. 2295, the “National Energy Security Corridors Act,” introduced by Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Rep. MacArthur commented

Home Innovation Research Labs recognizes 39 NGBS Green Partners for outstanding contributions to advancing green building in their communities and commitment to voluntary, market-driven, third-party certification of high-performance homes. The 2014-2015 Home Innovation NGBS Green Partners of Excellence include 9 residential building companies; 18 accredited verifiers – including 4 “Rising Stars” and several sustaining partners who’ve been recognized multiple years; 8 architectural firms; and 4 exemplary program advocates from across the country

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved a funding bill late Tuesday that will prohibit local fair housing agencies and HUD from effectively enforcing the Fair Housing Act on multiple fronts. Lawmakers approved language that eliminates federal grant funding to local nonprofit fair housing centers making it easier for banks, landlords, and other housing providers to discriminate with impunity.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for May 2015 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased by 9 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, one can’t help but being struck by President Johnson’s boldness as he launched the Great Society with these words: “We have declared unconditional war on poverty. Our objective is total victory.” HUD was established one year later in 1965 to become the war’s main weapon – combatting poverty, rebuilding our cities, and making housing more affordable for all.

A Wall Street Journal article captured what industrial CEOs think about rising ceiling heights in industrial buildings. The CEOs were part of a "View from the Top" session at I.CON '15 in Long Beach, California.

The younger and longer a child experiences homelessness, the greater the cumulative toll of negative health outcomes, which can have lifelong effects on the child, the family and the community. This is the key finding from a research brief out today from Children’s HealthWatch and the Center for Housing Policy at the National Housing Conference, “Compounding Stress: The Timing and Duration Effects of Homelessness on Children’s Health.”

Balfour Beatty US has been named Southeast Contractor of the Year by Engineering News-Record (ENR), the preeminent magazine for the construction industry. The recognition is based on the combined performance of Balfour Beatty’s U.S. business units in the Southeast region, including Balfour Beatty Construction Services US, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure and Balfour Beatty Investments. ENR recently recognized Balfour Beatty with an announcement on its website

SITES was developed through a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort of the American Society of Landscape Architects, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden. The rating system can be applied to development projects located on sites with or without buildings - ranging from national parks to corporate campuses, streetscapes and homes, and much more

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the three local initiatives selected as winners in HUD’s Innovation of the Day Competition. The winning entries were chosen by their peers through an online ballot that allowed the public to vote for their favorite projects