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Mortgage credit availability decreased in April according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) which analyzes data from Ellie Mae's AllRegs® Market Clarity® business information tool

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that it has increased the 2016 multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from $31 billion to $35 billion, effective immediately.

Mortgage applications decreased 3.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 29, 2016

The #MillionSolarStrong campaign is gaining widespread support with more than 70 organizations signing an official declaration favoring a strong role for solar energy as a part of America’s energy portfolio. The campaign is a recognition that the solar industry has raced past 1 million solar systems in the United States and is rapidly accelerating toward 2 million.

President Obama is on-the-ground in Flint, Michigan, where he’s taking account of the ongoing water crisis that has affected nearly 100,000 residents. This comes more than two years after toxic water began flowing into the homes of Flint residents, with dangerous levels of lead and other chemicals. Despite high-profile coverage, Governor Snyder has yet to commit to fully rebuilding Flint’s pipes and economy, frustrating activists and local residents

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Research Institute for Housing America (RIHA) today released a new report, detailing how household formation by Millennials and the shift of many potential homeowners to a rental market during the depths of the Great Recession combined to create the current affordability crisis in rental housing

Construction spending increased by 8 percent in March compared to a year earlier and was also up slightly between February and March amid growing demand for many types of construction, as the spending total hit the highest level since October 2007, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the growth comes amid strong private-sector demand and new federal investments in surface transportation programs

Differences in household demographics and affordable financing options spur homebuying demand for young active-service military members, causing them to significantly outpace the share of non-military homebuyers under the age of 35, according to the first-ever 2016 Veterans & Active Military Home Buyers and Sellers Profile, which evaluates the differences of recent active-service and veteran home buyers and sellers1 compared to those who’ve never served. The survey also found that while nearly all veteran and non-military buyers and sellers use an agent, usage is practically universal among active-service military members.

Ed Brady, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Bloomington, Ill., issued the following statement regarding Freddie Mac reporting a first quarter loss

The National Institute of Building Sciences is gearing up to deliver the fifth iteration of the industry’s only all-inclusive Conference where members of the entire building community come together to connect, collaborate and create solutions that benefit the built environment. Building Innovation 2017: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fifth Annual Conference and Expo will take place January 9-12, 2017, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C

Whole house remodels and additions are regaining market share according to a survey of remodelers released by NAHB Remodelers, the remodeling arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The survey, released today to kick off National Home Remodeling Month in May, revealed the most common remodeling projects in 2016, compared to historical results of the survey

American wind power had its most productive first quarter for installations since 2012, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported today, as demand rises for wind’s low-cost, zero-carbon energy.

As part of her effort to raise awareness of the need for increased affordable housing resources, and in particular an expansion of Housing Credit authority, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) is collecting personal stories of individuals and families who have struggled to find affordable housing and/or experienced homelessness. Senator Cantwell intends to use these stories to help promote legislation she soon will introduce to increase the Housing Credit cap by 50 percent and make other policy changes to strengthen the program.

Health Care and Housing – Creating a Floor for Optimum Health, the first in a series of three webinars is brought to you by The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Regional Operations (ORO), Region 10 (AK, ID, WA, OR). The webinar will take place on May 18, 2016, from 11:00 am – 12:15 pm PST (2:00 pm – 1:15 EST). This will be an open community of sharing with subject matter experts from Federal, State, and local agencies and community partners who provide care and service to homeless persons.

For the second year, the International Code Council (ICC) renews its commitment as the Conference Sponsor for Building Innovation 2017: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fifth Annual Conference and Expo. As a membership association of building safety professionals dedicated to protecting the property, health and safety of people worldwide, ICC’s sponsorship of the Conference helps to support the Institute’s mission to bring together representatives from the entire building community to collaborate on industry issues. Building Innovation 2017, to be held January 9-12, 2017, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., will focus on Collaborating for a High-Performing Future.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use and creating thriving communities, has appointed Adam J. Smolyar as its chief marketing and membership officer. Smolyar has extensive experience in branding, strategic communications, marketing, membership recruitment and retention, and information technology.

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) closes the month by financing the construction of a second new development in April. On April 28th , the Agency completed the transaction to provide $5.34 million in total bond financing, structured as short term ($1.52 million) and long term ($3.82 million) DCHFA tax exempt bonds for the acquisition of the one-fifth acre properties at 2613-2615 Bladensburg Road NE, to construct Langdon Apartments. Proceeds from the syndication of $3.21 million in low income housing tax credits raised by Stratford Capital Group and underwritten by the Agency will finance a portion of the $11.16 million project.

Pete Mills, Senior Vice President of Residential Policy and Member Services, issued the following statement regarding CFPB's letter on the Know Before You Owe rule, including a plan to issue a formal Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address many of the industry's outstanding questions and concerns

On the eve of Earth Day 2016, a partnership of water sector organizations—the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and WateReuse—with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) —proudly announce a new Utility of the Future (UOTF) Today Recognition Program. The program will celebrate the progress and exceptional performance of our nation’s wastewater utilities while supporting the widespread adoption of the innovative UOTF business model

Steady job growth, affordable home prices, attractive mortgage interest rates and pent-up demand will help the housing market continue on a gradual upward trajectory in the year ahead, according to economists who participated in yesterday’s National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Spring Construction Forecast Webinar. However, supply side headwinds led by a shortage of construction lots and labor, along with tight access to acquisition, construction and development (AD&C) loans, continue to hamper a more robust recovery