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As the nation remembers the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Lowe’s awarded Rebuilding Together a $150,000 grant and will partner with them on a two-day community revitalization effort August 10-11, 2015 in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. This effort will celebrate perseverance and continue the recovery of this diverse community that suffered some of the worst flooding during the storm

Markets in 75 of the approximately 360 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity in the second quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI) released today. This represents a year-over-year net gain of 13 markets.

Builder confidence in the single-family 55+ housing market remains in positive territory for the second quarter of 2015 with a reading of 57, according to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Despite the one-point dip from the previous quarter, this is the fifth consecutive quarter with a reading above 50

Achieving community resilience relies on the engagement and action of numerous stakeholders—from commercial and residential building owners to utilities and government leaders—and offering incentives provides a powerful mechanism to encourage tough decision making. At Building Innovation 2016: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fourth Annual Conference & Expo, Achieving a Resilient Future, to be held January 11-15, 2016, in Washington, D.C., participants will examine the multiple incentive packages available to these audiences to advance investment in mitigation and resilience.

Mortgage credit availability increased in July 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

Join us for AGC’s 2015 Contractors Environmental Conference on Sept. 2-3 right outside of the nation’s capital to discuss significant and ongoing developments concerning Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permits and jurisdictional waters/wetlands, stormwater management permits, electronic reporting requirements, online compliance and enforcement history data, water quality trading and so much more!

The National Association of Realtors®, America's largest trade association, representing more than 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries, has appointed global creative agency Arnold Worldwide as agency of record, effective immediately. As AOR, Arnold will lead the association’s integrated marketing efforts including strategy, creative, digital and brand activation.

Real estate firms are confident in the industry’s future growth and their increasing profitability, according to the 2015 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Real Estate Firms.“A majority of firms have a positive view of the future, with 95 percent of all firms expecting their net income to either increase or stay the same in the next year,” said NAR President Chris Polychron, executive broker with 1st Choice Realty in Hot Springs, Ark.

Joined by dozens of supportive tenants and union members, fired building workers at 2116 Chestnut will rally in front of the building on Wednesday at 2:45pm. With almost no notice, building cleaners, security officers and maintenance workers were terminated from their jobs at 2116 Chestnut Street on Friday after the 319 unit residential apartment building was sold to CBRE Global Investors for $160 million.

The U.S. building industry is under increasing pressure to deliver high-performance buildings to meet the needs of owners, occupants and government. Owners and contractors are looking for opportunities to improve certainty in schedule, performance and cost while managing risks. At the same time, there is an increasing concern from multiple segments of the industry on the availability of a skilled workforce, as well as the productivity of the buildings workforce today and into the future

Mortgage applications increased 4.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 31, 2015

Today’s announcement of EPA’s Clean Power Plan is a positive step towards ensuring that the American economy continues its successful path of doubling energy productivity by 2030, a goal endorsed by the President that would not only reduce emissions below what is required under these new regulations, but would also save the United States $327 billion annually and create 1.3 million net new jobs.

Housing Development Center is pleased to welcome Mai Huynh-Carnes to our Comprehensive Development Services Team. As senior project manager Mai will work with nonprofits and housing authorities to develop high-quality, cost-effective, sustainable affordable housing and community facilities.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations, second quarter 2015 commercial/multifamily mortgage loan originations were 29 percent higher than during the same period last year and 16 percent higher than the first quarter of 2015

MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. today announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed the opinion of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, ruling in MERS’ favor that the Pennsylvania recording statute does not create a duty to record all land conveyances

The final Clean Power Plan rule released today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clears a path for multistate collaboration on emissions reduction, says Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) senior advisor Jennifer Macedonia, adding:

“National Parks Conservation Association applauds the Obama Administration for adopting its Clean Power Plan, an enormously important step toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s electricity generators. There are numerous outdated coal-fired power plants around the nation that are the number one source of carbon dioxide and of other pollutants that impair the health of our parks and their visitors.

Legislation recently introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters, HR 3424, the “Moving to Work Reform Act of 2015,” would undermine and reverse major progress made by housing authorities in meeting the housing needs of low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities in their communities. The legislation would also unduly restrict additional housing authorities from initiating more efficient and effective housing strategies. CLPHA strongly opposes the legislation.

Wind energy can provide a majority of the clean power that states will need to comply with the government’s new rule to reduce carbon pollution from electric power plants, U.S. industry leaders said today, and it can save consumers money doing so.

The U.S. building industry is facing significant challenges: addressing the impacts of climate change; achieving sustainability; assuring asset and community resilience; and managing risk. At the same time, it is widely recognized as a fragmented industry with divergent interests and priorities. The need and the opportunity to address these challenges—that affect the industry and the nation as a whole—has never been more critical, but it must be done through the implementation of strategic and collaborative approaches