Monthly Archives: December 2009

New York, N.Y. - December 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Turner Construction Company, the nation’s leading general builder, has been awarded a $130 million contract to provide construction services for the Deloitte University learning and leadership development center located in Westlake, Texas.

Salem, OR - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The State Housing Council approved additional funding to housing developers throughout the state, boosting the number of affordable housing units statewide.

Hauppauge , NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today will file a resolution via Certificate of Necessity seeking immediate passage of a measure to provide Suffolk’s towns and villages with more than $26 million of mortgage tax revenues.

BALTIMORE, MD - December 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has won a judgment in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City of nearly $1 million against Rodney Spellen, Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc., Jemel Lyles, Absoloot Ventures Inc., Brian Boyd, 1st Choice Property Management Firm, Inc., Sahar Ali, Alan Muniu, Phillip George, Certified Title & Escrow, Inc., and Reggie Simmons based on violations of Maryland laws against foreclosure rescue scams.

NEW CASTLE, DE - December 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) --Gov. Jack Markell, New Castle County Executive Chris Coons and other government and non-profit leaders to announce the county’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program will use a state grant to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed and abandoned homes

Washington, D.C.- December 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Faith Schwartz, Executive Director, of the HOPE NOW Alliance, testified today before the State Assembly Select Committee on the Safety and Protection of At-Risk Communities in California. Schwartz testified that through October 2009, more than 279,000 California homeowners received mortgage workout solutions. This compared to about 139,000 foreclosure sales in the state this year shows that workout solutions outpace foreclosures in sales 2 to 1 in California

ALBANY, NY - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Andrew T. Baxter, United States Attorney, Rene Febles, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Harrisburg, PA - December 4, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today reminded eligible older adults and people with disabilities that Dec. 31 is the deadline to apply for rebates up to $975 from Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

WALTHAM, MA - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® Charitable Foundation made a $3,000 donation to Homes for Our Troops, a national non-profit organization that provides homes at no cost to severely injured Servicemen and Servicewomen and their immediate families. The donation was presented to Homes for Our Troops at the “Build Brigade” for the construction of the home for Army Sergeant Michael Downing on Friday, December 11, 2009 in Middleboro. Downing was on his second deployment when he was left a double amputee after an IED explosion in Afghanistan in September 2008.

Springfield, IL - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- More optimism in terms of year-over-year home sales increases is projected in 2010 while the declines in median prices continue but at a lower rate of decline, according to the 2010 Illinois Housing Market Forecast released by the Illinois Association of REALTORS® and prepared by economists from the University of Illinois Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL).

JEFFERSON CITY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, Chair of the Missouri Housing Development Commission, today announced the housing agency's December 18 meeting would be webcast live for the first time ever. The meeting's webcast will be a test for the agency as it looks for the best way to provide the service at all future meetings.

Albany, NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor David A. Paterson today announced that New York State will offer cash advances of up to $8,000 on the Federal homebuyer tax credit for borrowers using a State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) mortgage to purchase a home.

Albany, NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor David A. Paterson today signed into law comprehensive foreclosure legislation which provides additional critical protections for New York State homeowners, tenants and neighborhoods in the wake of the ongoing foreclosure crisis.

New York, N.Y. - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Turner Construction Company, the nation’s largest general builder of education facilities, has been selected by Drexel University to manage construction of the Constantine Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building on the University’s main campus in Philadelphia, Pa. Upon completion in June 2011, the138,000 sq. ft. facility will house thirty-nine research and teaching laboratories for bio-medical engineering, biology and chemistry and a fossil preparation lab.

NEW YORK, NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced his office has obtained an interim court order shutting down the New York City-based not-for-profit group United Homeless Organization, Inc. (“UHO”).

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would help protect private property owners from becoming victims of eminent domain seizures by state and local governments. The Strengthening the Ownership of Private Property (STOPP) Act would significantly discourage governments from taking property from one private party and giving it to another private party through a series of aggressive financial disincentives. Congressman Boyd has been a long-time proponent of protecting the rights of property owners, having introduced similar legislation in past years

Omnibus Appropriations Bill Now Headed to President’s Desk. December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today announced Senate approval of critical funding for Jefferson County to aid local efforts to fight methamphetamine use and provide housing for homeless veterans.

December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Owners of residential rental property (individuals, corporations, LLCs) are required to register with Maricopa County Assessor’s Office and update any status changes within 10 days, stipulated in Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance Sec. 39 – 48.

Washington, DC - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) voted to pass historic legislation that will bring about the biggest changes in financial regulation since the New Deal, by voting in favor of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett’s Tenant Work Group today released the results of the first-ever survey of County tenants, a survey that highlighted concerns about rent increases and affordability

Aberdeen, MD - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) today participated in a “double” groundbreaking of two buildings that will house top defense contractors, Raytheon and L-3, within Aberdeen Proving Ground. In a unique agreement known as an enhanced use lease, St. John Properties will lease land directly from the Army for “The GATE” development project and 100 percent of the lease payments will go directly to the post for infrastructure and facility improvements.Ruppersberger was joined by Harford County Executive David Craig, Aberdeen Mayor Michael Bennett, Colonel Orlando Ortiz, Aberdeen Proving Ground Garrison Commander Orlando Ortiz, as well as executives from St. John Properties, Raytheon Company and L-3 Communications

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 11, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA)’s $3 billion Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance – already a proven success at blocking foreclosures for unemployed Pennsylvanians – was approved today by the House of Representatives.

ASBURY PARK, NJ - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson today joined representatives of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) at City Hall, One Municipal Plaza, to announce that the City is the newest member of the Live Where You Work program. Asbury Park is the 25th municipality to partner with the HMFA on this workforce housing initiative.

New York, NY - December 11, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced that it has received 29 responses to its Request for Qualifications for developers or teams of developers interested in redeveloping the 62-acre Willets Point District.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) submitted the following statement in the U.S. House of Representatives during debate of H.R. 4173, The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Discussing his vote against the measure, Congressman Skelton stated

Washington, DC - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, voted against the tax increases in the Tax Extenders Act of 2009, as these increases would harm the already-stressed commercial real estate market. The legislation includes a $24.6 billion permanent tax increase on investments in the midst of a recession

Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) today joined a majority of his House colleagues to pass a landmark piece of legislation to reform our financial system and protect consumers across the country. This bill, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R.4173), will prevent the irresponsible actions that contributed to the financial crisis last fall. This legislation restores real oversight to Wall Street through smart regulation and protects consumers by ensuring that the terms of bank loans, mortgages, and credit cards are fair, clearly written and easy to understand. Also, it helps make sure that American taxpayers will never again have to bail out Wall Street banks by putting an end to “too big to fail” financial firms.

Fights to Keep American Families in Their Homes. WASHINGTON, DC – The House of Representatives passed an amendment offered by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D–California) to the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173) yesterday, which requires mortgage servicers or lenders participating in the Making Home Affordable Program to publicly report their progress in helping responsible homeowners stay in their homes. The amendment was introduced by Congresswoman Matsui with Rep. Betty Sutton (D–Ohio) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D–Florida), and debated on the House floor. Passage of H.R. 4173 is expected today.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congress took significant action to reform the nation’s financial system today with the passage of The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Passed with Congressman Cardoza’s support, the bill also includes provisions he requested that take aim at the nation’s continuing foreclosure crisis.

Washington, D.C. - December 11, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District voted today for critical financial regulatory reform that will help ensure that the financial crisis leading to the worst economic recession since the Great Depression will not happen again.