Massachusetts RealEstateRama

WALTHAM, MA - January 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the number of single-family homes put under agreement in December was up 5 percent over the same time last year, while condominiums were up 26 percent. December marks the sixth straight month that the number of homes put under agreement had increased over the year before

Homes put under agreement in November up for the sixth straight month. WALTHAM, MA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up a record 63.1 percent compared to November 2008, as buyers expected the first-time homebuyer tax credit to expire at the end of the month (instead it was extended to April 2010). Condominium sales also hit record levels going up 76.2 percent compared to the year before. Median prices were up 0.7 percent compared to last year, while condominium median prices were essentially flat going down only 0.4 percent. November pending sales (homes put under agreement) were up 15 percent from the same time last year. Pending sales have now gone up for six straight months

December 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is now accepting contract bids on behalf of the City of Boston for $21.5 million worth of road repair and resurfacing projects in Boston. The funding, awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will support five separate construction contracts covering a total of 18.6 miles of roadway in various neighborhoods of the City. Allston-Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, South Boston, West Roxbury, and Downtown will all benefit from projects made possible by this funding.

December 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced that Boston is one of the first cities in the nation to receive a major grant of $1.9 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

December 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced that the City of Boston has joined with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in seeking $60 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to support energy efficiency statewide and the Renew Boston Rental Property Retrofit Program. Under the grant proposal, $15 million would support the Renew Boston program with targeted investments along the Blue Hill Avenue corridor utilizing a full compliment of incentives to afford landlords the opportunity to invest in energy efficient upgrades that benefit their tenants. Over 60 percent of corridor residents living in rental housing and many residents spend more than 10 percent of household income on energy. The program will also compliment the city’s green jobs program, including a pending $4 million U.S. Department of Labor Pathways Out of Poverty grant request.

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.

December 4, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced that the number of new property tax liens expected to be filed for Fiscal Year 2009 is 18 percent less than FY 2008. The value of these new liens represents only half a percentage point of the total FY 2009 tax levy of $1.4 billion

BOSTON, MA - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing has approved $295,000 in funding for the creation or preservation of affordable sober housing for men, women and veterans in Boston, New Bedford, Salem and Worcester. The MassHousing grants, ranging from $35,000 to $75,000, will come from the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of MassHousing that creates and preserves affordable sober housing in Massachusetts for recovering substance abusers. CCRI to date has awarded more than $4 million in grants for sober housing for more than 1,000 units of substance-free housing in more than two dozen communities for men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.

BOSTON, MA - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing announced a $1.4 million loan commitment today to help develop 43 affordable apartments for low-income families as part of a 62-apartment mixed-income historic redevelopment in Mission Hil

BOSTON, MA - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing announced loan commitments today of up to $5.9 million for the development of Maple Ridge, a 72-unit affordable rental community in Tyngsborough

New law, leveraging of public/private funds protects tenants. BOSTON, MA - November 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Standing with housing and community leaders, Governor Deval Patrick today highlighted a law he signed last week to keep publicly-assisted rental properties affordable and announced the roll-out of a $150 million loan fund leveraged primarily through private dollars to support and secure long-term affordable housing preservation efforts.

WALTHAM, MA - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up over 17 percent compared to October 2008 as buyers made sure to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax credit before it was set to expire. Condominium sales also were up 17 percent. Median prices were down 2.6 percent compared to last year, while condominium median prices were down 4.0 percent. October pending sales (homes put under agreement) were up 27 percent from the same time last year. This is the fifth straight month of increases.

BOSTON, MA - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (the Bank) has awarded $3.0 million in the form of grants, loans, and interest-rate subsidies through its Affordable Housing Program (AHP). These funds will be used to finance 79 units of affordable rental and ownership housing for households earning at or below 80 percent of area median income in three New England states. Of that amount, $2.6 million will be awarded as a grant or subsidy

WALTHAM, MA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up over 17 percent compared to October 2008 as buyers made sure to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer before it was set to expire. Condominium sales also were up 17 percent. Median prices were down 2.6 percent compared to last year, while condominium median prices were down 4.0 percent. October pending sales (homes put under agreement) were up 27 percent from the same time last year. This is the fifth straight month of increases.

BOSTON, MA - November 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- November 9, 2009 – MassHousing announced loan commitments today of up to $43 million for the renovation and preservation of affordability at the 500-unit Castle Square housing community in Boston’s South End.

$28M Mixed-Use Project to Transform Neighborhood Landmark, make Available New Affordable Homeownership and Rental Housing. November 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) Director Evelyn Friedman today joined the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC), New Atlantic Development Corporation (NADC), and community members to celebrate the completion of the first 16 new units of housing on the site of the former Blessed Sacrament church. The completed $28 million development, expected for the end of 2010, will yield a total of 118 units of housing, the majority of which will be available to low and moderate income households.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 6, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement today after the House of Representatives voted to stimulate the local economy by extending unemployment benefits and the first-time homebuyer tax credit. Additional tax relief will be targeted to military families and businesses. The House passed H.R. 3549, the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009, by a vote of 403-12.

WinnResidential top performer for seventh year; Maloney Properties, United Housing Management and Peabody Properties also cited for multi-million dollar efforts. BOSTON, MA - November 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing recently recognized the efforts of 89 property management companies that make a concerted effort to do business with Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs). WinnResidential Management, which manages 85 MassHousing-financed properties, was the top performer for the seventh year in a row.

October 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Bank of America Corporation today announced a first-of-its-kind in the nation initiative to prevent tenants from being displaced out of foreclosed homes. The initiative marks the latest expansion in the City’s on-going efforts to meet all of the challenges presented by the foreclosure crisis

WALTHAM, MA - October 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales increased for the third straight month compared to the same time last year. Median prices were down only 1.7 percent compared to September 2008, while condominium median prices were up 1.7 percent. For the fourth month in a row, the number of pending sales (homes put under agreement in September) was up seven percent from the same time last year.

WALTHAM, MA - October 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales increased for the third straight month compared to the same time last year. Median prices were down only 1.7 percent compared to September 2008, while condominium median prices were up 1.7 percent. For the fourth month in a row, the number of pending sales (homes put under agreement in September) was up seven percent from the same time last year.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

Roosevelt School the gold standard in sustainability October 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Menino today celebrated the Franklin D. Roosevelt K-8 School in Hyde Park and the City receiving $100,000 to build additional green school buildings. The award is from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), which gave the Roosevelt School [...]

Roosevelt School the gold standard in sustainability October 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Menino today celebrated the Franklin D. Roosevelt K-8 School in Hyde Park and the City receiving $100,000 to build additional green school buildings. The award is from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), which gave the Roosevelt School [...]

U.S. Treasury’s tax credit exchange funds to restart 10 projects, create jobs. BOSTON, MA - October 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the state will utilize $50.3 million in federal recovery funds to create hundreds of jobs and revive affordable housing developments stalled throughout the Commonwealth due to the lack of equity available in low-income housing tax credit markets.Ten projects in Amherst, Charlton, Chelmsford, Lunenburg, Plymouth, Wareham, Watertown, West Boylston, Westfield and Worcester will receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to fill the financing gaps created in projects where tax credits could not leverage the equity needed to support construction costs.

Latest HUD Grant Emphasizes Boston’s Continued Success of “Lead Safe Boston” Program. October 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Menino today announced that the City will be awarded over $3M in federal Lead Based Paint Hazard Control funds to reduce the hazards of lead-based paint in homes located in the City’s low and moderate income neighborhoods. The award from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) is the tenth competitive federal funding award that the City’s Lead Safe Boston program has received since 1993. The funding, totaling more than $30 million, has enabled Boston to provide lead abatement services to more than 2000 homes citywide.

Latest HUD Grant Emphasizes Boston’s Continued Success of “Lead Safe Boston” Program. October 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Menino today announced that the City will be awarded over $3M in federal Lead Based Paint Hazard Control funds to reduce the hazards of lead-based paint in homes located in the City’s low and moderate income neighborhoods. The award from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) is the tenth competitive federal funding award that the City’s Lead Safe Boston program has received since 1993. The funding, totaling more than $30 million, has enabled Boston to provide lead abatement services to more than 2000 homes citywide.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John W. Olver (D-1st District) announced that Franklin County DIAL SELF, Inc. will receive $285,000 annually in grant funds over the next 3 years from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The funding will be used to provide a comprehensive array of outreach, prevention, and safe shelter services for homeless and at-risk youth through the DIAL/SELF TeenLine and North Quabbin programs.