NEW YORK, NY - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National Mortgage Settlement Monitor Joseph A. Smith, Jr. today released a progress report evaluating the compliance of Ally Financial/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo with the mortgage Servicing Standards mandated by the National Mortgage Settlement. The Monitor made findings against several of the servicers, including finding that Wells Fargo failed to comply with the Servicing Standard governing the timeline for notifying borrowers of deficiencies in applications for mortgage modifications.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the National Mortgage Settlement Monitor’s Report concerning the Monitor’s review of the banks’ compliance with the settlement’s servicing standards.

New York, N.Y. - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua today announced the latest housing development to offer preference to income-eligible New Yorkers displaced from their homes by Hurricane Sandy. Harlem River Point South will add a total of 139 affordable housing rental apartments to the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. Fifteen percent of the 139 affordable units will be subject to the Sandy preference. These units will be filled through a lottery managed by the developer and overseen by HPD and the City’s Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

New York, NY - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman John B. Rhea today launched the Red Hook Urban Farm, a 1-acre urban agriculture installation and the first-ever large-scale community farm on NYCHA property. The model farm will serve as a source of fresh produce for the community while also providing a center for education, job training, and community engagement for residents.

ARLINGTON, Va. - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Arlington County Board on Tuesday authorized the County Manager to proceed with a joint venture on a new state-of-the-art firearms training facility. The 25-year agreement with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) will provide the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office with a firing range and training facility on the property of Dulles International Airport

ARLINGTON, Va. - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The County Board today unanimously approved funding for a $1 million private/public partnership to house our most vulnerable homeless Arlingtonians.

Tuesday, - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ohio has nearly $375 million remaining in its allotment through the Hardest Hit Fund, federal funds which U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) helped secure in 2010. Today, Brown urged Governor Kasich to balance the important needs of housing counseling and foreclosure prevention resources with the need to demolish vacant and abandoned homes that have blighted communities

Philadelphia - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than $467 million in lost and forgotten money and valuables are up for claim in southeastern Pennsylvania, State Treasurer Rob McCord stressed today during a visit to a Philadelphia health care advocacy group that claimed its cash earlier this year. The Treasurer encouraged residents, businesses and organizations to visit www.patreasury.gov, where they can search and claim property for free

BURLINGTON - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin, EPA New England Brownfields Director Carol Tucker and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, along with representatives from Vermont’s congressional delegation, launched a new program today that will advance the redevelopment of brownfields, former industrial or commercial properties that are contaminated from historical uses making it difficult or impossible to put them to new uses. In addition, six Vermont organizations redeveloping brownfields were awarded funding for that work from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) today re-introduced legislation to promote access to private capital that will help boost America’s commercial real estate in the face of decreased property values and limited loan opportunities. This legislation will help communities avoid more vacant storefronts, lost jobs and lower tax revenues which would make full economic recovery more difficult.