COLUMBUS, OH - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Efforts to stimulate and revitalize neighborhoods across Ohio are being aided through the distribution of funds announced by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA).

Washington, D.C. - September 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new "workforce housing" home built by First Richmond Associates is the first home in the Richmond, Va., metro area to achieve certification under the National Green Building Standard.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - September 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Missouri Department of Economic Development is requesting proposals for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in areas of the state affected by weather related disasters during 2008. Only proposals for affordable rental housing projects may be submitted in this application process.

Grants to Create Jobs and Expand Supply of Decent, Affordable Housing. Washington, DC - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Rep. Bill Foster (IL-14) announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded Kane County with two different grants, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) worth $1,210,514 and a HOME program grant worth $805,428

September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. Folmar, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today that defendant Adriana Cruz, 27, of Miami, was sentenced by United States District Judge Alan S. Gold on September 18, 2009, for her role in a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in the granting of two fraudulent home equity loans totaling approximately $1 million

Legislation will help protect family farms from the estate tax. September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Rep. Frank Kratovil signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 3524, the Family Farm Preservation and Conservation Estate Tax Act. This bill will exempt farms and ranches from Federal estate taxes after death of the owner for as long as the property stays in the family and it continues to operate as a farm. The legislation also exempts landowners who have placed their land in a conservation easement from paying the estate tax as long as it persists in that capacity.

Trenton, NJ - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jon Corzine’s silence in the aftermath of last month’s state Supreme Court ruling that would force towns to alter zoning laws to accommodate affordable housing even after they have met their quota to provide low and moderate income housing will have severe consequences throughout towns in New Jersey said Assemblyman Scott Rumana today.

ORLANDO, FL - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida’s existing home sales rose in August – marking a full calendar year (12 months) that sales activity increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.Existing home sales rose 28 percent last month with a total of 13,850 homes sold statewide compared to 10,813 homes sold in August 2008, according to Florida Realtors. The state association also reported a 45 percent increase in last month’s statewide sales of existing condos compared to the previous year’s sales figure

SACRAMENTO, CA - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Demand for new homes slipped again in August, a decline California homebuilders attributed to the discontinuation of the successful state homebuyer tax credit program, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

AUGUSTA - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Groundbreaking ceremonies for the rehab of the Greentree Apartments in Augusta, one of the first housing developments in the country to receive funding under the Exchange portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will occur at 11:30 a.m. Thursday (September 24) at 45 New England Road

MINEOLA, NY - September 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today announced that the County has received a grant totaling $6,458,35.00 that will provide rental assistance, housing relocation, and stabilization services for families and individuals during the economic crisis.

BURLINGTON, VT - September 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Vermont Department of Mental Health is pleased to announce a new grant award from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help end homelessness for Vermonters with mental illnesses.

BURLINGTON, VT - September 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Vermont Department of Mental Health is pleased to announce a new grant award from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help end homelessness for Vermonters with mental illnesses.

Washington, DC - September 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will award a $8,248,000 competitive federal grant to the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP).

Washington, D.C. - September 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District voted today to extend unemployment benefits for Nevadans who are still finding it difficult to find work during the economic recession.

Washington, D.C. - September 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District voted today to extend unemployment benefits for Nevadans who are still finding it difficult to find work during the economic recession.

NEW YORK, NY - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Marc Jahr, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Rafael E. Cestero and Alan Bell from Dumont Green LLC, celebrated the groundbreaking for a new eight-story 176 unit affordable apartment building at 1490 Dumont Avenue.

MILWAUKEE, WI - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Opus North Corporation has announced the grand opening of Phase I at The Shoppes at Fox River, a 54-acre, 500,000 square-foot shopping center at 1200 W. Sunset Drive in Waukesha, Wisc.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - September 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jon S. Corzine today announced that since 2006, the State has created, preserved, or rehabilitated 30,284 affordable housing units for New Jersey's working families.

FRANKFORT, KY - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, along with Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) Chief Executive Officer Richard L. McQuady, today announced the recipients of Kentucky’s Housing and Emergency Assistance Reaching The Homeless (KY HEARTH) Program grant funds. This initiative is part of the national American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and the federal Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. Lexington, Louisville and Covington received direct allocations. KHC administers the balance of the state’s portion.KY HEARTH helps prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and helps those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized. Through the ARRA, 47 projects proposed by nonprofit agencies and local governments across the state are receiving a total of $11,607,352 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Washington D.C. - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that all Recovery Act funding for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) have been released and are now in the hands of the state and local communities. The Recovery Act included $1 billion for CDBG of which $2.9 million was allocated for Macomb and Oakland Counties and communities.“More CDBG funding, through the Recovery Act, comes at an important time for our communities who are grappling with difficult budgets and the ongoing economic downturn,” said Rep. Levin. “Communities can decide what programs best meet the needs of their communities and residents, and get the money out to stimulate the local economy.”

WASHINGTON, DC - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced today that Michigan has been awarded $5,535,975 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding is from the Public Housing Capital Funds and will be used to upgrade public housing by increasing energy efficiency and create jobs

WASHINGTON, DC - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) today announced a $250,000 grant to SAFEHOME in Overland Park for housing needs. The Transitional Housing Grant will be used for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to provide transitional housing services that move individuals into permanent housing.

More than $46 million approved to support nearly 500 units of affordable housing in Iowa. DES MOINES, IA - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Chet Culver announced today that affordable housing projects throughout the state have been awarded a total of more than $46 million to create or preserve nearly 500 units of affordable housing. The awards were made through the Culver/Judge I-JOBS initiative and the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Iowa Finance Authority administers the programs.

WASHINGTON, DC - September 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today praised the release of $9,445,758 in Recovery Act funding to create new affordable rental housing and increase the energy efficiency of existing public and low income housing. These funds were distributed to five municipalities across the state giving them the resources to install new energy efficient technologies to conserve energy, such as Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency boilers/furnaces and programmable thermostats or controls.

Stark hails funds for Alameda Point Collaborative to create job opportunities for formerly homeless. WASHINGTON, DC - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) today announced that the Alameda Point Collaborative (APC) has been awarded a $625,000 Community Economic Development grant from the Office of Community Services in the Department of Health and Human Services. APC is a community that provides housing and services to help formerly homeless families and individuals flourish.

New York, NY - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday the Federal Open Market Committee announced that the Federal Reserve will purchase a total of $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage-backed securities and up to $200 billion of agency debt.

Washington, DC - September 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Reid joined Senators John Ensign and Ben Cardin in cosponsoring a new bill that will extend the existing homebuyer tax credit of $8,000 for six more months.

Washington, DC - September 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Reid joined Senators John Ensign and Ben Cardin in cosponsoring a new bill that will extend the existing homebuyer tax credit of $8,000 for six more months.

Washington, D.C. - September 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey today announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the Philadelphia Housing Authority $13,915,000 to complete a “green” public housing transformation to the Paschall Apartments.