Monthly Archives: June 2010

Washington, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) is pleased to announce $1,883,606 in federal grants to provide Los Angeles-area homeless veterans with job training and placement assistance to help them succeed in civilian careers. The grants are being awarded under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

Washington, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Congressmen Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Adam Putnam (R-FL) today introduced legislation to provide mortgage forbearance to homeowners in the areas affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) senior environmental manager Dave Abel will visit Best Home Furnishings, 1 Best Drive, Ferdinand, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29 to officially welcome the company into IDEM's Voluntary Idling Program (VIP) for cleaner air. Abel will present a certificate to Eric Vollmer, Best Home Furnishings Sales and Marketing Specialist, to commemorate the occasion.

STATEHOUSE , IN - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Sen. Jim Merritt (R-Indianapolis) and members of the Senate staff will join local volunteers in a Habitat for Humanity home build on Saturday, June 26, from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 44 N. Rural St. in Indianapolis

BOSTON, MA - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Investment giant Morgan Stanley (Morgan) will pay $102 million to affected Massachusetts homeowners and the Commonwealth following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office into Morgan’s role in the securitization and financing of Massachusetts subprime loans, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the first nine loan pool originators authorized by the agency to assemble and sell pools of 504 program first mortgage loans, a major step to jump-starting a secondary market that should make fixed asset financing more widely available for small businesses.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is proposing new regulations that would permit builders of manufactured housing (mobile homes) to complete construction at the home’s installation site, rather than in the factory. Under current HUD regulations, a manufacturer must obtain HUD approval for on-site completion of each of its designs.

June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced new contracting efforts that will enhance livability and sustainability initiatives and improve competition for federal highway projects.

NEW YORK, NY - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new study of New York low-income housing released today proves affordable housing development fuels economic gains in distressed neighborhoods. The study, commissioned by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) shows affordable housing development is a proven economic stimulus that can expand neighborhood spending power, raise surrounding property values and help low-income families stabilize their economic outlook. Enterprise and LISC released this report based on data analysis done by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University and independent consultants.

McLean, VA - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) today issued the company's Monthly Volume Summary for May 2010. The summary, available on the company's Web site at www.FreddieMac.com/investors/volsum, provides information on Freddie Mac's mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, risk management and delinquencies, including data on seriously delinquent mortgage loans in related mortgage Participation Certificate (PC) pools.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Utah Division of Housing and Community Development announced today that Utah will extend the Home Energy Assistance Target Program (HEAT) application deadline until September 30, 2010 or until all funds are expended.

Washington, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today continued his relentless efforts on behalf of Cleveland area homeowners during a hearing examining the efficacy of the Administration’s centerpiece program to assist borrowers seeking modifications of their mortgages.

SPRING VALLEY, NY - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives from The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) and Rockland Housing Action Coalition joined with state, county and local officials today to celebrate the groundbreaking for Hyenga Lake Senior Housing, a new affordable senior housing project in the Village of Spring Valley.

DURHAM, N.C. - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Three non-profit development partners are joining together with the City of Durham, Duke University, and the West End neighborhood to celebrate the grand opening of Maplewood Square Apartments and Maplewood Park.

RICHMOND, VA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Bob McDonnell today announced more than $12 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for 24 projects in Virginia.

Washington, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced that Nevada would soon receive more than $100 million to fight foreclosures and help homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth.

OLYMPIA, WA - June 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) issued a Statement Charges, Notice of Intent To Enter an Order to Cease and Desist and Notice Of Intent To Impose Fines And Recover Costs against a Seattle-based real estate development company

Houston, TX - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- DGM USA Houston, part of a global network that specializes in the classification, packing, documentation, training and consultation of services related to the safe and secure transport of dangerous good, has announced plans to build a new warehouse/distribution facility. The 68,000+ square foot facility will be constructed by Urban Construction Southwest, Inc. on a 6.5-acre tract located in north Houston at 1813 Greens Road

Elgin, IL - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the metro Chicago real estate market continues on the road to recovery, two RE/MAX agents with a vision of better days ahead have taken the reins at RE/MAX United in Wheeling, Ill., and have moved the office to a new location at 401 S. Milwaukee Ave. Gary Aver and Luigui Corral have both been affiliated with the office for several years, and now they are making it their own. Former broker/owners Alla Aizenberg, Mila Friedman, Igor Groysman and Oleg Moldavsky remain with the office as sales associates

EUGENE, OR - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Alaska Re/Max Properties, Inc. has joined with IDX, Inc. to deliver the most informative and comprehensive online property search available to the clients of Karen Glaser. The IDX Broker software now employed on her website blends her listings with the Alaska MLS (AKMLS) database to display thousands of properties from around the state conveniently on one site. This software not only simplifies the search process, it also makes for more informed potential buyers.

SACRAMENTO, CA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- After a slight drop in April, total housing starts in California rose a bit in May, the California Building Industry Association announced today. According to statistics compiled by the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB), permits were pulled for 3,088 total housing units in May, up 4 percent from the same month a year ago but down 6 percent from April. Permits for single-family homes totaled 1,902, down 19 percent from May 2009 and down 17 percent from the previous month, while multifamily permits totaled 1,186, up 87 percent from a year ago and up 17 percent from April.

Los Angeles, CA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined by Councilwoman Janice Hahn, Police Commission President John Mack, Chief Charlie Beck, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) President and CEO Rudolf Montiel and community leaders, today announced the expansion of safety cameras to the Jordan Downs, Nickerson Gardens, Imperial Courts and Ramona Gardens public housing developments.“Safety cameras have proven to be a powerful law enforcement tool to deter crime,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “The expansion of the safety cameras will help assure our police department has the resources it needs to secure our families and communities.

Washington, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced today that $418 million is now available to help Floridians with bridge loans for mortgages through the Obama Administration’s “Hardest Hit Fund,” which will be directed to the state Housing Finance Agency and will immediately assist homeowners

Marietta, GA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- June 14, 2010—Realtor Lori Greenwald is the latest experienced agent to join Prudential Georgia Realty. She recently joined the Prudential East Cobb office, located at 3775 Roswell Road in Marietta.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the support and backing of area Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA), the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to extend the National Flood Insurance Program through September 30, 2010. The program, which lapsed on June 1, allows property and business owners as well as renters to purchase insurance against flood losses.

MEDFORD, MA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden) announced Monday that over $6 million in combined federal and state funding will soon be released for the preservation of 272 rental housing units, 251 of which will be set aside as affordable housing, for the City of Malden. The maintenance and restoration of these rental units will boost the availability of affordable housing in Malden, while creating jobs and fostering economic growth

Washington, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the average interest rate on conventional 30-year, fixed-rate, mortgage loans of $417,000 or less remained unchanged at 5.12 percent in May. The average interest rate on 15-year, fixed-rate loans of $417,000 increased 6 basis points to 4.58 percent in May. These rates are calculated from the FHFA’s Monthly Interest Rate Survey (MIRS) of purchase-money mortgages. These results reflect loans closed during the May 24-31 period. Typically, the interest rate is determined 30 to 45 days before the loan is closed. Thus, the reported rates depict market conditions prevailing in mid- to late-April

WASHINGTON, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- During a keynote address to The Atlantic's inaugural Future of the City Forum in Washington, D.C., U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced that HUD is launching a $100 million Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program, the first of its kind designed to create stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today announced that Darwin Kenneth Morgan and his company, D.K. Morgan Consolidated LLC, have agreed to pay $680,000 in monetary damages and civil penalties to settle a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that Morgan discriminated against African-Americans and sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants at Morgan Mobile Home Parks in Bloomingdale, Ga

McLean, VA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.69 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending June 24, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 4.75 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.42 percent