Michigan RealEstateRama

January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today noted that the Michigan Department of Treasury is now processing Michigan Home Heating Credits (HHC) for the 2010 tax year. The credit assists low-income customers with winter energy bills.

January 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) Acting Director Andrew S. Levin warns Michigan licensed residential builders, and maintenance and alteration contractors to be aware of a possible scam that involves a mailing they may have received which looks deceptively like a mailing from DELEG.

LANSING, MI - December 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A recently released report shows homeownership counseling networks in Michigan and nationwide are bringing significant relief to over a million families struggling to avoid foreclosure, Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Executive Director Gary Heidel announced today. MSHDA is part of a national effort through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) program bringing major counseling assistance to over a million families.

December 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth's (DELEG) Bureau of Energy Services Director Amy Butler, today announced that DELEG is awarding five different grants $15,000 each for Home Seminars and Tours projects. Home Seminars and Tours projects provide hands on examples for citizens on how to make homes more energy efficient

Detroit, MI - November 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Quicken Loans Inc., the nation’s largest online lender and top-five retail mortgage lender, and Quizzle LLC, a free online tool that helps consumers better manage their home, money and credit, today announced they ranked #1 in the Detroit Free Press’ Top Workplaces in Michigan 2010 list

November 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Applications are now available from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for funding under the DNRE's fiscal year 2011 Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant Program. Property owners with abandoned scrap tires and scrap tires at collection sites are eligible for funding assistance under this program.

November 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bureau of Fire Services (BFS) in the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth urges consumers to change batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when changing their clocks to Standard Time (setting clocks back one hour) that officially begins on Sunday, November 7 at 2 am. Having working smoke detectors with fresh batteries can provide a family with crucial extra seconds to escape a burning home.

October 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) released the following statement as a status update on an investigation into allegations of illegal housing advertisement discrimination. The allegations related to a roommate wanted posting in a Grand Rapids area church which indicated a preference for a "Christian roommate."

Lansing, MI - October 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) announced today Ellen Kisinger-Rothi, Executive Director of Housing Resource, Inc. in Kalamazoo, is the recipient of the 2010 Carla Javits Award for her dedicated service and forward thinking in the Campaign to End Homelessness in Michigan

WASHINGTON, DC - October 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., today announced that two Michigan housing development firms will receive a combined $6 million in federal awards designed to help develop affordable housing in low-income communities. Lansing-based Great Lakes Capital Fund Nonprofit Housing Corporation will receive $4 million and Detroit-based Southwest Housing Solutions will receive $2 million through the U.S. Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Capital Magnet Fund.

LANSING, MI - October 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm yesterday called on the nation's top lending institutions that service mortgages in Michigan to suspend all foreclosures pending investigation of possibly fraudulent foreclosure filings. The governor also repeated her call for the nation's top lenders to fully participate in the Michigan's Helping Hardest Hit Homeowners Fund to help homeowners avoid foreclosure

October 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) will announce that it has provided counseling to 17,000 Michigan families since 2008 thanks in part to funding from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program. The NFMC Program recently announced that more than 1 million homeowners in Michigan and across the nation have sought and received foreclosure intervention counseling from more than 1,700 nonprofit counseling organizations funded by the program, including MSHDA.

WASHINGTON, DC - October 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today made the following statement about the ongoing foreclosure crisis and Bank of America’s announcement: “Families living in neighborhoods across Michigan continue to suffer from the economic downturn, declining home values and foreclosures. That’s why I welcome today’s announcement that Bank of America has suspended foreclosures in every state. I am concerned that too many Michigan families are losing their homes as a result of faulty paperwork and I hope that this motivates all institutions to reevaluate their processes and make sure homeowner’s are being treated fairly.

WASHINGTON, DC - October 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and three Senate colleagues wrote on Friday to the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase and Ally Financial, asking them to halt foreclosure proceedings in 27 states, including Michigan, where they have not already done so

Washington, DC - October 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (MI-14) and Congresswoman Carolyn C. Kilpatrick (MI-13) called on lenders to extend their foreclosure moratorium to Michigan and other states and to cease administering foreclosures until the problem of fraudulent paperwork is resolved.

WASHINGTON, DC - October 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced a $589,273 grant for homeless veterans in Northern Michigan today. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs made the grant to Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan in Gaylord to provide 24 beds in transitional housing to homeless veterans

WASHINGTON, DC - October 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to Unity Hospital of Rochester in New York State. The $197 million loan is made possible through the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Section 242 Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program.

October 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- This is the time of year to get your furnace cleaned and ready for winter. Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) Acting Director Andrew S. Levin offers some sensible tips to avoid getting burned by furnace fixing "scam artists."

LANSING, MI - September 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that his office, with the assistance of the Michigan State Police, secured a guilty plea against Eddie Zaben of Dearborn for his role in a major mortgage fraud operation in Southeast Michigan. Zaben, 40, pled guilty to two counts of obtaining mortgage proceeds under false pretenses. Zaben will serve 2-10 years in prison and must pay $3 million in restitution. Zaben is the latest conviction resulting from a year-long investigation by the Michigan Mortgage Fraud Task Force and included efforts by the Michigan State Police, the U.S. Secret Service and the Attorney General's office. Six other defendants have already been convicted for their roles in the scheme.

September 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Fire Marshal Ronald R. Farr today encourages consumers to take extra safety precautions while using generators when the power is out -- especially to reduce risk of injury or death from carbon monoxide poisoning - a silent killer that builds up quickly without any warning signs or odors.

Washington, D.C. - September 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement encouraging eligible affordable housing entities to apply for two recently announced grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Appearing in today’s Federal Register are the Notices of Funding Availability, the federal application, for two revitalization initiatives: The Choice Neighborhoods Planning or Implementation Grants for FY 2010 and the HOPE VI FY 2010. Both applications can be accessed at www.grants.gov.

LANSING, MI - September 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Senator Tupac A.Hunter (D-Detroit) today introduced legislation that would prevent banks and other lending institutions from foreclosing on most homes unless they have signed up to participate in the “Help the Hardest Hit Program.”

LANSING, MI - September 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today continued her effort to push the nation's largest banks to join other lending institutions and take part in the Helping Hardest Hit Homeowners Fund. Since announcing the availability of an additional $128.4 million in federal dollars for the fund earlier this month, Granholm has reached out to executives at Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, PNC Bank and Wells Fargo, asking them directly to help prevent additional home foreclosures

August 31, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued an order approving $18 million in low-income energy efficiency grants to six organizations for the fiscal year beginning October 1.

LANSING, MI - August 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Environmental Stewardship Division is administering a federal migrant labor housing construction grant program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) for persons and non-profit organizations that are currently, or intend to be, licensed migrant labor housing operators. Initial grant funding decisions will be made based on applications received by August 31, 2010; however, additional grants may be awarded if funding is available.

LANSING, MI - August 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Environmental Stewardship Division is administering a federal migrant labor housing construction grant program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) for persons and non-profit organizations that are currently, or intend to be, licensed migrant labor housing operators. Initial grant funding decisions will be made based on applications received by August 31, 2010; however, additional grants may be awarded if funding is available.

LANSING, MI - August 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Environmental Stewardship Division is administering a federal migrant labor housing construction grant program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) for persons and non-profit organizations that are currently, or intend to be, licensed migrant labor housing operators. Initial grant funding decisions will be made based on applications received by August 31, 2010; however, additional grants may be awarded if funding is available.

LANSING, MI - August 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today called on the nation's largest banks - Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, PNC Bank and Wells Fargo - to participate in the Helping Hardest Hit Homeowners Fund to help homeowners seeking assistance in preventing the foreclosure of their homes

LANSING, MI - August 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today called on the nation's largest banks - Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, PNC Bank and Wells Fargo - to participate in the Helping Hardest Hit Homeowners Fund to help homeowners seeking assistance in preventing the foreclosure of their homes

Detroit, MI - August 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, downtown Detroit became home to 1,700 new faces as energized team members from Quicken Loans Inc, and its sister companies, One Reverse Mortgage LLC, Fathead LLC, In-House Realty LLC and Quizzle LLC began moving into their new home in the heart of Detroit’s rising technology district. The companies occupied the remainder of the vacant space in Detroit’s newest business complex, the Compuware building, on the North edge of Campus Martius. The building will now house a total “brainforce” of nearly 4,000 technology and web-based workers.