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More than 140 water utility leaders from throughout the United States embarked on 352 meetings with members of Congress this week to elevate the importance of investing in water infrastructure

After starting the year at the fastest pace in almost a decade, existing-home sales slid in February but remained above year ago levels both nationally and in all major regions, according to the National Association of Realtors

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) will host the third webinar in its 2017 series sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The free webinar, “Design of Seismic Force-Resisting Systems in Steel-Framed Buildings,” will be held Friday, April 21, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET (11:00 am to 12:00 pm PT).

Independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a net gain of $575 on each loan they originated in the fourth quarter of 2016, down from a reported gain of $1,773 per loan in the third quarter of 2016, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported today in its Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report.

The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $46.0 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016, as three of the four major investor groups increased their holdings.  That is a 1.6 percent increase over the third quarter of 2016.    On a year-over-year basis, the amount of mortgage debt outstanding at the end of 2016 was $162.0 billion higher than at the end of 2015, an increase of 5.8 percent.

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) and the Building Enclosure Council – Philadelphia are seeking abstracts for papers for presentation at the fifth BEST Conference Building Enclosure Science and Technology™ (BEST5), to be held April 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Rose Center for Public Leadership, jointly operated by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), is working this week with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss to explore new and innovative ways the city can best utilize public land and finance incentives to support the community’s vision of vibrant neighborhoods with high-quality parks, a riverfront recreation trail, more mobility and housing options and economic opportunity for people from all walks of life.

The Trump Administration’s budget makes $6.2 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and eliminates the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which has spearheaded coordinated efforts that have reduced veteran homelessness by as much as 47%. The budget also targets programs under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, such as the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program that help keep people in housing and prevent homelessness

As new development takes hold in once-distressed urban areas, it is important to address the risks of resident relocation and displacement that disproportionately impact low-income residents. With a focus on multifamily development in Detroit, a report from Capital Impact Partners identifies a number of practices that developers, investors, city officials, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and public interest groups can use to plan for and responsibly manage development processes that may lead to resident displacement and relocation.

Construction employment showed a mixed pattern geographically in the latest 12 months, increasing in 219 out of 358 metro areas between January 2016 and January 2017, declining in 104 and stagnating in 35, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that firms in many parts of the country are either benefitting from growing demand for construction or having a hard time finding enough qualified workers to keep up with demand, while firms in other parts suffer from declining demand

President Trump’s budget slashes critical resources used to help keep housed some of the country’s lowest income and most vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and formerly homeless individuals. At a time when America’s housing crisis has reached historic heights and the lowest income people suffer the most severe impacts, proposals to further cut these vital resources are unconscionable and unacceptable.

Nationwide housing starts rose 3 percent in February from an upwardly revised January reading to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.288 million units, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Single-family production increased 6.5 percent to 872,000 units — its highest reading in nearly a decade — while multifamily starts fell 3.7 percent to 416,000 units.

The Alliance to Save Energy vowed to fight budget cuts for federal energy efficiency programs proposed Thursday by the Trump administration, including the elimination of the successful ENERGY STAR program and sharp reductions at the Department of Energy (DOE).

Joining forces to create access to affordable housing, The Blue Book Building and Construction Network has signed on as a national partner with Habitat for Humanity to help families build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

Today, the House passed H.R. 648 (Rep. Liz Cheney, WY-at large) by an unanimous bipartisan vote of 408-0. H.R. 648 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with the State of Wyoming to modify the Fontenelle Dam and Reservoir as a way to increase storage capacity and mitigate erosion at no cost to the federal government

Thirty-nine states added construction jobs between January 2016 and January 2017 while 38 states and D.C. added construction jobs between December and January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said that many firms report they are having a hard time finding enough qualified workers to hire as they work to keep pace with growing demand.

Multiple years of uninterrupted job gains and hope that the best is yet to come in 2017 are igniting consumer confidence across the country, and especially in rural and middle America, according to new consumer survey findings from the National Association of Realtors®. The survey additionally found a growing disparity among renters who think it's a good time to buy and homeowners who think it's a good time to sell

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes jumped six points to a level of 71 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the highest reading since June 2005

Mortgage applications increased 3.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 10, 2017.

A coalition of groups representing a broad spectrum of U.S. manufacturing, construction, energy and environmental workers, are calling for Congress to include electric transmission provisions in any proposed infrastructure legislation and streamline expansion of U.S. electrical infrastructure