WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Paul Quander, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe, Department of General Services Director Brian Hanlon and members of the E Street Development Group will break ground on a new development that will house a fire station and a Hyatt Place Hotel.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the Center for American Progress released a new repor that examines the state of poverty and homelessness in the United States and puts forth a set of policy recommendations for increasing access to affordable housing and addressing income inequality.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, President Obama signed a memorandum directing the federal government to consume 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, more than double the current level.

TAMPA - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced a Pilot Project for its new Resilience STARTM Home program, which will utilize construction standards developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to ensure homes meet DHS’ resiliency requirements.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Markets in 54 out of the approximately 350 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI), released today. The index’s nationwide score of .86 indicates that, based on current permits, prices and employment data, the nationwide market is running at 86 percent of normal economic and housing activity.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Markets in 54 out of the approximately 350 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI), released today. The index’s nationwide score of .86 indicates that, based on current permits, prices and employment data, the nationwide market is running at 86 percent of normal economic and housing activity.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors today approved a total of more than $7.5 million in grants to 26 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local affordable housing initiatives, which will assist more than 2,000 Iowa families. The funding is provided from the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Representatives Jared Polis (CO-02), Ben Ray Luján (NM-03), and Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02) introduced the Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2013, which would establish the first national renewable energy standard, requiring utilities to generate 25 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and biomass by 2025. Over the next twelve years the bill gradually increases renewable energy production from 6 percent by 2014 to 25 percent by 2025. Municipal and publicly-owned power facilities and rural electric co-ops are exempt from the bill.

SAN DIEGO, - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- DataQuick®, a provider of advanced real estate information solutions powered by data, analytics and decisioning, has expanded its Standard Recorder layout to create a custom bundle devoted specifically to key loan transaction intelligence, including, 12 million loan modifications, loan term on 4 million mortgages, interest rates on 600,000 mortgages and details on 525,000 reverse mortgages.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In an effort to increase transparency of Fannie Mae Multifamily DUS loans, an enhanced Multifamily DUS Prepayment History Report is now available. This report provides over ten years of historical voluntary and involuntary prepayment data for Fannie Mae fixed-rate multifamily loans. The loans represented in this report generally have similar terms and yield maintenance characteristics as DUS loans underlying multifamily MBS issued today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National affordable housing nonprofit Mercy Housing is pleased to announce that it is one of the inaugural multifamily housing partners joining President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced the expansion of the President’s Better Buildings Challenge to include multifamily housing. DOE and HUD recognize the energy efficiency commitment that Mercy Housing is making as a Better Buildings Challenge Partner

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new set of reports from Joseph A. Smith, Jr., the Monitor of the National Mortgage Settlement, shows that the nation's largest mortgage servicers failed to meet 7 metrics in the most recent reporting period, 5 of which were mentioned in his previous reports.

DENVER, Colo. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a strategic move to add to its already robust industrial portfolio, BH Properties, LLC has purchased a one-story warehouse facility, located at 4525 Ironton St. in Denver, Colo., for $1.8 million. Carmon Hicks of Jones Lang LaSalle brokered the transaction for BH Properties, while Verma Sudhir, with an undisclosed company, represented the seller, Jama Boots.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 25.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 444,000 units in October, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Energy Department on November 26 awarded nearly $4 million to 13 states to increase statewide energy savings and boost the energy efficiency of public institutions, local governments, and industrial sectors. The awards were through the Energy Department’s State Energy Program, which assists states in saving energy and deploying new clean energy technologies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Departments of Energy and Housing and Urban Development on December 3 expanded the Better Buildings Challenge to multifamily housing such as apartments and condominiums. The departments also launched the Better Buildings Accelerators to support efforts led by state and local governments to cut energy waste and eliminate market and technical barriers to greater building efficiency. The Obama Administration also announced that it will challenge federal agencies to further expand their use of performance-based contracts through 2016 to upgrade the energy efficiency of federal buildings

Atlanta, Georgia - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On December 3, 2013, an Order to Cease and Desist issued by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) to SureSource Mortgage, Inc., located in McDonough, Georgia, became final

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Following today’s announcement by the Rockefeller Foundation of the first 33 cities named to the 100 Resilient Cities Challenge, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan released the following statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department filed a lawsuit late yesterday against the owners, builders and designers of a 54-unit condominium complex in Hartville, Ohio, for violations of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated the law when they designed and constructed the complex with barriers that make it inaccessible to persons with disabilities.

Denver, CO - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- For the third consecutive year, RE/MAX University (RU) has been recognized as one of the best among corporate-sponsored training programs, capturing a place on Training magazine’s Top 125 list. The 14th annual survey ranked excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs tied to corporate strategic goals and measurable results

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)introduced Mr. Bill Roark of Huntsville, Alabama, as a witness appearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The hearing was about empowering workers by expanding employee ownership.

Industry leaders and officials from across Ohio announced their support for the Republican reconciliation law and the benefits it will have for workers, families, farmers, and small businesses across Ohio and its economy.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) closed on the financing for the Northwest Bronx Scattered Sites, a $593.7 million Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) project that will bring comprehensive renovations for more than 3,000 residents living in 14 residential buildings across eight developments in the Bronx.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is alerting consumers about the dangers of television (TV) tip-over hazards. Millions of New Yorkers will watch the Super Bowl this Sunday either on TVs at home or at parties with friends. DCP is taking this TV-focused occasion to remind consumers of critical TV safety tips.

Fast-growing Florida has been a favorite of real estate investors for many years. With so much interest having been focused on the state, though, investors need to take care to seek the best available opportunities.

Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that the Senator Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building located at 65 Court Street in Buffalo will be sold at auction in 2020. A work group formed earlier this year made up of City, County, and State officials working with professional real estate consultants CBRE, determined that in the current competitive and robust Buffalo real estate market

The Bureau of Land Management today announced that Karen Mouritsen has been named the new California State Director—a key leadership position based in Sacramento. As State Director, Mouritsen will direct a team that manages lands encompassing 15% of the Golden State’s total land mass

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced the opening of the new JLC Recovery and Wellness Center in New York City. JLC is operated by Exponents Inc. and provides free help and support services for people affected by addiction and for their families.

In spite of a robust U.S. economy, a strong employment rate, and steadily increasing 401(k) plan earnings, Black homeownership rates continue to drop. Drawing from the 2019 release of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, asked the Department of the Interior about its commitment to the Yakima River Basin during a hearing on the president’s FY 2017 budget request. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael Connor agreed with Sen. Cantwell that the Yakima River Basin plan “is a model for the rest of the nation in water management.”

“Consumers Energy is thankful to be a part of holiday celebrations across the state as warm Thanksgiving memories are being made, and we are committed to providing many more generations of Michigan families with reliable, affordable energy in all seasons,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s vice president and chief customer officer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued a final rule that creates exemptions from certain appraisal requirements for a subset of higher-priced mortgage loans. The exemptions are intended to save borrowers time and money while still ensuring that the loans are financially sound

Atlanta, Georgia - November 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) entered into a Consent Order with Equity Loans, LLC, License Number 23300, located at 1150 Hammond Dr., Building E, Suite 650, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, to resolve allegations pertaining to violations of the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act