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A new survey from the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Colorado in 2015: A ULI Survey of Views on Housing, Transportation and Community, reports that a significant number of Colorado residents face barriers to a healthy and active lifestyle due to community design and land use patterns that make walking, cycling, and recreational opportunities difficult. Despite Colorado’s reputation as one of the healthiest states in the nation, 52 percent of the survey’s respondents said that it is too far for them to walk to shopping and entertainment, and 42 percent said that the bike lanes in their communities are insufficient

HUD published on its website the 2016 Difficult Development Areas (DDAs) and Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs), which are eligible for the 30 percent basis boost under the Housing Credit program. As HUD has long planned, the methodology for determining 2016 metropolitan DDAs relies on new Small Area Fair Market Rents, and thus result in 311 zip code level small area metropolitan DDAs across 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This compares to 35 full metropolitan statistical areas in 11 states plus Puerto Rico that HUD designated as DDAs in 2015.

The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers, today launched a seminar to help appraisers develop a better understanding of the Federal Housing Administration’s new “FHA Handbook 4000.1.”

On Wednesday, November 18, 2015, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board approved more than $23.4 million for affordable housing initiatives across the state of Ohio, including

The Multifamily Production Index (MPI), released today by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), increased one point to a level of 56 for the third quarter of 2015. This is the 15th consecutive quarter with a reading of 50 or above.

Should retiring rental property owners be forced to pay millions of dollars to solve a city’s affordable housing problem, merely for the right to close their business? That is the question confronted by a major constitutional case filed today in federal court against the City of Palo Alto by the Jisser family, owners of the Buena Vista Mobilehome Park.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has announced the finalists for its 2016 Best of 55+ Housing Awards, the premier design and marketing competition for the 55+ housing industry. A total of 87 entries were chosen as finalists and are eligible for either a gold or silver award from NAHB's 55+ Housing Industry Council, which will be announced at an awards ceremony on Jan. 19, 2016, during the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas

The rise of apartment living is changing communities, driving new development and raising the expectations for the amenities and services offered to the 38 million people in the U.S. who call an apartment home. From walkable neighborhoods to on-site fitness classes, package pick-up solutions to online rent payments and more, new data from the largest-ever survey of apartment residents gives a detailed picture of what apartment residents want—and even what they’d expect to pay for it.

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis and Habitat for Humanity International announced a major challenge grant to kick off the fundraising effort for Habitat’s 2016 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Memphis. THDA will match the first $1 million in donations for the project.

The NAIOP Research Foundation has appointed officers for 2015-2016. The officers lead the Board of Trustees for the Foundation, whose mission is to build better communities through practical research and education that advances the quality and makes evident the benefits of commercial real estate development across North America

Auto debt continued its upward climb during the third quarter of 2015, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. Auto loan balances increased for the 18th straight quarter, this time by $39 billion, and stand at $1.05 trillion as of the end of September. The report is based on data from the New York Fed’s Consumer Credit Panel, a nationally representative sample of household credit data drawn from anonymized Equifax credit data.

The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections has launched a new website that for the first time allows the public to search on property violations and track the corrective actions ordered to fix them

Mortgage applications increased 6.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 13, 2015.  This week's results included an adjustment for the Veterans Day holiday.

HUD's Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPs) and Office of HIV/AIDS Housing (OHH) have posted the recently recorded ‘Hear from Your Peers’ webinar, Spotlighting Communities that are Successfully Coordinating Healthcare & Housing Resources to End Veteran Homelessness. This webinar focuses on the strong bonds forged between HUD-funded housing and service programs, as well as mainstream resources and benefits, to ensure U.S. military veterans successfully receive and maintain housing

This week, five New England governors united across party lines in support of the HOME program(link is external), which provides critical funding for rental production, rent assistance, and home ownership. Governors Baker (R-MA), Hassan (D-NH), Malloy (C-CT), Raimondo (D-RI), and Shumlin (D-VT) all signed a letter to the New England federal delegation supporting the President’s budget recommendation of $1.8 billion for the HOME program, which the U.S. House and Senate

Officials from Consumers Energy, Michigan State Police and prominent business organizations encouraged Michigan business owners and residents to take steps to protect themselves from ongoing customer scams that continue across the state entering this holiday season.

Led by a steep drop in multifamily production, nationwide housing starts fell 11 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.06 million units in October, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Multifamily starts declined 25.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 338,000 units while single-family production edged down 2.4 percent to 722,000 units. Both sectors posted permit gains.

California’s housing market softened in October as both statewide sales and median price contracted from the previous month and is still on target to meet forecast projections, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Builder confidence in the market for newly constructed single-family homes slipped three points to 62 in November from an upwardly revised October reading on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

To help prepare your home for holiday visitors, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers offers home maintenance tips that are designed to increase safety and accessibility for older family and friends who visit this holiday season.