Monthly Archives: March 2010

Washington, DC - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer said he will fight to reverse budget cuts proposed by Administration in its Fiscal Year 2011 budget for the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly program.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogdell Spencer ERDMAN(SM) announced today that Medical Center Physicians Tower is complete and hosted its ribbon-cutting yesterday in Jackson, Tennessee.

March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Despite the economic turmoil of the past two years, the newly released Housing Initiative Fund Fiscal Year 2008 and 2009 Report illustrates that the County’s commitment to increasing the stock of affordable housing in Montgomery County has resulted in an increase in funding over the past two years and an addition to the inventory of affordable housing units in the county

WASHINTON D.C. - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) voted this week in support of a series of bills to provide more opportunity to U.S. veterans, particularly those who are looking for jobs or are homeless. The measures would increase on-the-job training opportunities for returning veterans, prevent mortgage lenders from foreclosing on a veteran’s home after their service, and make sure payments for disabled veterans keep pace with the cost of living. Also included in the series was legislation to strengthen the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ work to fight and end homelessness. An estimated 131,000 U.S. veterans are homeless nationwide

WASHINTON D.C. - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) voted this week in support of a series of bills to provide more opportunity to U.S. veterans, particularly those who are looking for jobs or are homeless. The measures would increase on-the-job training opportunities for returning veterans, prevent mortgage lenders from foreclosing on a veteran’s home after their service, and make sure payments for disabled veterans keep pace with the cost of living. Also included in the series was legislation to strengthen the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ work to fight and end homelessness. An estimated 131,000 U.S. veterans are homeless nationwide

Pittsburgh, PA - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A lawsuit settled today in Pennsylvania by the Education Law Center-PA and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) ensures the continued enrollment of homeless children in school and significantly revises state polices to better protect the rights of homeless students.

VIP Open House April 8th will showcase the new VIKING® Designer Series kitchen available to homebuyers through May 15th. Tempe, AZ - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fulton Homes, one of Arizona’s largest privately owned homebuilders, announced that VIKING® Designer Series kitchens will be offered as a standard option in homes in the communities of Fulton Ranch from April 8, 2010 through May 15, 2010. Known for their quality and performance, VIKING® kitchens exemplify Fulton Homes’ commitment to affordable luxury for the value-conscious homebuyer.

Cleveland, OH - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With 3,800 members strong, the Cleveland Area Board of REALTORSR (CABOR) is poised and ready to help homebuyers take advantage of federal tax credits worth up to $8,000 for first-time buyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers. CABOR members are making sure house hunters have what they need to close a deal

March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Single-family building units continued to rise in the Kansas City metro last month, marking a continued growth over 2009 building permit activity to-date. A seasonally adjusted 181 single-family units were permitted in February, up from the seasonally adjusted 153 in February 2009, according to statistics compiled by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA).

March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) announces that Michigan Public Service Commissioner Monica Martinez will be speaking at the Urban Green Summit, hosted by the Highland Park NAACP, University of Phoenix, and Rainbow PUSH Detroit. The Summit will focus on empowering urban communities through green education and employment.

March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) announces that Michigan Public Service Commissioner Monica Martinez will be speaking at the Urban Green Summit, hosted by the Highland Park NAACP, University of Phoenix, and Rainbow PUSH Detroit. The Summit will focus on empowering urban communities through green education and employment.

LANSING, MI - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR), the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR) today announced a settlement with CitiFinancial regarding the firm’s failure to report 91,127 residential mortgage loans, including more than 4,000 in Michigan, to the federal government as required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). The settlement requires CitiFinancial to pay a $63,457 penalty to the State of Michigan, which will be put into the Mortgage Brokers, Lenders, and Servicers Licensing Act Fund and used to support OFIR’s mortgage examination and licensing programs

New York, NY - March 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new report released today by NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy provides an in-depth look at the City’s recent building boom. The report, the State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods 2009, also examines the state of mortgage lending in the City, highlights the state of immigrant New Yorkers and immigrant neighborhoods, and provides detailed data on housing and demographic trends in each of the City’s 59 community districts.

Washington, D.C. - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed fraud charges against a prominent New Mexico realtor and obtained an emergency court order to halt his $80 million Ponzi scheme.

Albany, NY - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York state housing market continued to post double-digit sales gains compared to a year ago as February 2010 sales jumped 13.2 percent compared to February 2009, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of REALTORS.

SACRAMENTO, CA - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total housing starts in California continued to rise in February, but a downturn in single-family permits signaled that a housing recovery has yet to materialize and prompted industry officials to applaud lawmakers for quickly passing a new homebuyer tax credit program, the California Building Industry Association announced today

Washington, D.C. - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today called on the White House to more fully address the nation’s ongoing foreclosure crisis. Grijalva signed a letter along with 26 other House Democrats urging Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to consider a range of options – including the creation of a new government entity to buy up distressed mortgages – and to make the issue a higher priority in the coming days

Phoenix, AZ - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Terry Goddard said today he will join U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other members of the recently formed Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force at a Mortgage Fraud Summit meeting Thursday in Phoenix

JACKSONVILLE, FL - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton and James Casey, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announce today that, following a two-week trial, a federal jury has found Marshall Craig Scott (age 59, of Jacksonville) guilty of commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Scott faces a maximum penalty of 145 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 24, 2010. Scott was indicted on October 29, 2009.

ELLICOTT CITY, MD - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Howard County Housing will host the “Come Home to Howard County” Housing Fair on Saturday, April 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia. The event is free and open to the public.

March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) today announced $250 million in bonds are available for affordable home loans, which includes a set aside of 10 % (up to $25 million) for new construction home purchases.

ATLANTA, AZ - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms announced today that the 114-room Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport plans to open this month.

March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined city officials and community members in celebrating the new home of local after-school music education organization, ZUMIX, in a newly renovated firehouse at 260 Sumner Street in East Boston. The new 9,000-square-foot facility benefitted from $4.6 million in renovations over the past five years, and boasts a performance stage, several soundproof rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, and a radio station. The renovated firehouse, which was vacant for more than 30 years, replaces former ZUMIX headquarters on nearby Maverick Street.

$18 million in relief for Massachusetts homeowners; $4.1 million payment to Commonwealth. BOSTON, MA - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of her office’s ongoing initiative to combat predatory lending practices that contributed to our nation’s economic crisis, Attorney General Martha Coakley today reached a significant settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation (Countrywide) that will provide an estimated $18 million in loan modifications for Massachusetts homeowners, $3 billion in loan modifications for homeowners across the country, and a $4.1 million payment to the Commonwealth. Countrywide is now owned by Bank of America.The settlement, filed today in Suffolk Superior Court, expands an earlier agreement that Countrywide reached with 43 other state Attorneys General and the District of Columbia in 2008 for loan modification for certain delinquent borrowers and builds on standards set forth in the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) administered by the United States Treasury

March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett today joined County Councilmember George Leventhal, chair of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee; Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) Executive Director Sharan London and others to welcome new residents to the Lockney Avenue Apartments, a Takoma Park property purchased by Coalition Homes (part of MCCH) to provide permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless families.

WASHINGTON, DC. - March 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) today addressed Missouri and national advocates for better neighborhoods and moderate- and low-income housing at the National NeighborWorks Association’s (NNA) Annual Legislative Day. During the event, Bond stressed the importance of the work done by organizations like NeighborWorks, particularly during the housing crisis, to help families find affordable housing and save their homes from foreclosure through services like counseling.

Washington, DC - March 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the Obama Administration to increase funding for fiscal year 2011 for the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly program. In a letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan, Schumer noted that in fiscal year 2010, Congress appropriated $825 million for Section 202 programmatic funding.

LOS ANGELES, CA - March 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home sales decreased 11.7 percent in February in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home rose 14.1 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today

Trenton, NJ - March 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Christie today issued the following statement on the status of the Housing Opportunity Task Force created by Executive Order 12:

RALEIGH, NC - March 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco announced today that two North Carolina counties have been awarded Community Development Block Grants to provide down-payment assistance and financial literacy training for first-time homebuyers.