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The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today the 2015 recipients of its school district scholarship program. The five selected school districts will receive ongoing support from the Center for Green Schools over the course of the next year and will benefit from connections with a broad network of school sustainability leaders.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today its 2016 Board of Directors and Advisory Council members. The new governance structure of two leadership bodies will officially be implemented in 2016

The Sierra Club released polling today showing significant support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan among registered voters in key states. The new polls come on the eve of votes expected next week in the US Senate on Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions intended to derail the policy and its historic public health protections against carbon pollution

A key mortgage lending reform – which would be rolled back by a bill coming up for a vote in the House of Representatives next week – commands the support of an overwhelming majority of voters, according to a poll conducted this summer by Lake Research on behalf of Americans for Financial Reform and the Center for Responsible Lending

Following the housing market’s best year since the recession, existing-home sales are expected to increase in 2016 at a moderate pace; although affordability pressures from inventory shortages and rising mortgage rates could slow the potential for even stronger sales momentum, according to an economic forecast forum here at the 2015 REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

While commercial real estate has been steadily recovering in recent years, industry experts expressed concern that prices may have reached a peak during the Commercial Economic Issues and Trends Forum at the 2015

Throughout 2015, the National Association of Realtors® has enhanced and expanded upon its more than a decade old Realtor® Safety program, developing new materials, creating additional resources and providing members with everything they need to feel empowered and confident in their personal safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration continues its work to integrate unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, into the National Airspace System, and Realtors® stand ready to take advantage of their many benefits.

Delivering meaningful information to consumers quickly and in a conversational way will help Realtors® position themselves as credible real estate experts and ultimately lead to more business, according to a digital technology and lead generation forum here at

 Realtors® shared strategies for assessing and conveying the value green features bring to homes during the Real Property Valuation Forum today at the 2015 

“According to third quarter statistics for Palm Beach County homes, median days on market dropped to an astonishing 36 days, a 33.3 percent decline year-over-year. Buyers had to make fast, educated decisions in order to secure their dream homes due to our declining inventory levels. Purchasing a property, especially in our current market conditions, can be a complicated and stressful process. If you are looking to buy or sell, let a local REALTOR® offer you the guidance you need to feel confident in your decision.

Florida’s housing market reported more closed sales, higher median prices, a tighter inventory and fewer days on the market during the third quarter of 2015, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Closed sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 74,141 in 3Q 2015, up 14.7 percent over the 3Q 2014 figure.

Representing a Durham property owner barred from developing his land, Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider a controversial precedent that denies landowners unobstructed access to federal court to defend their constitutional rights.

Memphis-area home sales for October decreased 3.5 percent from a year ago, with 1,336 total sales recorded in the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS® MAARdata property records database. Sales were down 6.2 percent from September, when there were 1,424 total sales. Average sales price from October-to-October was up 4.3 percent, at $156,692. Inventory decreased 1.8 percent, with 6,291 units listed for sale. Monthly sales volume YTD increased 6.8 percent to $2.20 billion.

An Appraisal Institute member specializing in valuation of green homes has produced a study released today by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that found homes with host-owned solar photovoltaic energy systems are sold at a premium compared to homes without PV systems.

NAHB First Vice Chairman Ed Brady will also moderate a special Capitol Hill Spotlight Session on Thursday, Nov. 19, where show goers can hear from staffers from Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) offices as they discuss the variety of green building legislation under consideration.

Members and allies of National People’s Action (NPA) from Detroit, MI, Chicago, IL and Buffalo, NY traveled to Pittsburgh, PA to give testimony at the first of four Environmental Protection Agency hearings on the Federal Implementation Plan proposed as part of the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The new rule sets the first ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants. While applauding the plan, NPA leaders are calling on the EPA to go even further to ensure equity for those most impacted by the dirty energy economy and the climate crisis by protecting low income communities and communities of color from pollution and expanding access to renewables and clean energy jobs for those communities

Impact100 Garden State, a Morristown- based women’s philanthropic organization, awarded over $200,000 in grants to the Head Start Community Program of Morris County and the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) to support programs that help the elderly poor, disenfranchised young adults, and pre-school children from low-income families. Impact 100’s 204 members voted to award each organization a $102,000 grant at its annual members meeting on November 4 at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge. The organizations were selected from over 75 nonprofit applicants.

The Atlanta Board of REALTORS® (ABR), the largest association of its kind in Georgia, released its October 2015 Market Brief on residential housing statistics for 11 area counties in metro-Atlanta. Market Brief, now compiled by First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS), provides the only regionally focused synopsis of monthly sales and home prices for single family residential properties.

The Apache Stronghold is a community association dedicated to ending the theft of native lands, specifically the theft of the sacred Oak Flat lands in Arizona. The Stronghold has been occupying the Oak Flat campground since February 2015. To hear more about their struggle and efforts please join us on November 21st and 22nd for the For the Community Festival!