Minnesota RealEstateRama

Minneapolis, MN - November 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (Minneapolis) today announced that he will introduce the Rental Housing Revitalization Act (RHRA), legislation to address the nation’s public housing infrastructure crisis. Ellison worked closely with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan as well as housing advocates to write legislation to preserve our nation’s public housing. The RHRA is designed to restore the country’s deteriorating public housing infrastructure, simplify rental assistance programs, provide greater choice to renters, and give taxpayers more for their money.

ST. PAUL, MN - October 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security (OES) today announced the state will soon receive its first installment of federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP).In its first release of funds for the 2011 program year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds LIHEAP, has allocated $64.8 million to Minnesota. Additional funds will be disbursed to the state throughout the program year.

October 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 46-year-old Golden Valley man pled guilty earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis to orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of more than $2.5 million from lenders nationally. The scheme centered on obtaining fraudulent loans for the purchase of 24 homes in the Twin Cities. Appearing before United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen, Zack Zafer Dyab pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to the crime. Dyab was indicted along with Julia Alexander Rozhansky, age 46, of Minnetonka, on December 8, 2009

October 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 61-year-old Alexandria man was sentenced earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis on charges connected to a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders and others out of more than $800,000. United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced Dale Charles Dodge, Jr., to 34 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction with property derived from unlawful activity, commonly referred to as money laundering. Dodge was indicted on September 15, 2009, and pled guilty on May 12, 2010.

Washington, DC - September 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Rep. Tim Walz (MN-01) and Rep. John Boozman (AR-3) introduced bipartisan legislation to help prevent veterans with VA home loans from becoming homeless due to foreclosure. The legislation mandates that the VA notify its homelessness case managers within seven days of a VA home loan going into default and that the case manager assigned put in place a plan to prevent the veteran from subsequently becoming homeless due to the foreclosure.The Veterans’ Homelessness Prevention and Early Warning Act of 2010 preemptively addresses homelessness amongst Americans veterans. VA-backed home loans, like the larger housing industry, have seen a steady increase in the foreclosure rate over the last three years. In 2007, 8,113 foreclosures of VA loans were completed. In 2009, that number had risen to 15,145

BURNSVILLE, MN - September 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman John Kline announced that Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, and Scott Counties are among the 35 Minnesota counties being assessed for flood damage. Homeowners or renters who suffered flood damage are encouraged to report the damage to their local officials so it can be included in the assessments.

EUGENE, OR - September 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. and Eric Chorzempa have joined forces to bring Northstar MLS listings to Minnesota potential buyers. The unique and revolutionary IDX Broker software extracts raw listings data and seamlessly integrates it onto the search results page of each home seeker utilizing the website of Chorzempa. Now, it is easier than ever before to begin the property search in Minnesota, thanks to the IDX solution now synced on his real estate website.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - September 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United Properties announces that Fairview Health Services School of Radiation Therapy has signed a seven-year lease at Southdale Place, its four-story 68,385 sq. ft. medical building in Edina, Minn. A division of Fairview's Educational Center, the new tenant recently took occupancy of 5,900 sq. ft. on the fourth floor. Fairview Health Services also renewed 14,400-sq.-ft. space on the second and fourth floor.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - September 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United Properties announces that Fairview Health Services School of Radiation Therapy has signed a seven-year lease at Southdale Place, its four-story 68,385 sq. ft. medical building in Edina, Minn. A division of Fairview's Educational Center, the new tenant recently took occupancy of 5,900 sq. ft. on the fourth floor. Fairview Health Services also renewed 14,400-sq.-ft. space on the second and fourth floor.

Minneapolis, MN - September 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison announced today that the City of Minneapolis has won an additional $2.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties in neighborhoods impacted by foreclosure, as part of the third round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP3) funds

September 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 31-year-old part owner of Legacy Lending was sentenced yesterday in federal court in St. Paul for participating in a mortgage fraud scheme that involved 37 separate real estate transactions and $20 million in loan proceeds. United States District Court Judge Richard H. Kyle sentenced Thomas John Hunter, of Maple Grove, to 40 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to the crime. He also was ordered to pay $228,711.43 in restitution. Hunter was charged on January 26, 2010, and pleaded guilty on March 2, 2010

Mankato, MI - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki joined Congressman Tim Walz today in Mankato to tour facilities dedicated to rural veterans’ health care and homelessness prevention. The Secretary and Congressman heard from veterans about the need to build upon existing VA services and further expand health care in rural areas. The tour began at the VA’s Mankato Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which currently does not provide primary health care services to area veterans. The VA is in the midst of the contracting process to expand the CBOC to include these much-needed services. The tour concluded with a stop at the Radichel Townhomes in Mankato. The townhomes are long-term supportive housing for disabled homeless veterans constructed and managed by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MAC-V)

St. Paul, MI - August 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- For the first time at the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair, an interactive Energy Star house will guide visitors through simple, everyday ways they can cut their own energy use.

August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Two Prior Lake men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis for their roles in a scheme that defrauded mortgage lenders out of more than $2.5 million by causing them to make loans based on false information. Appearing before United States District Court Judge David S. Doty earlier today, Beau Wesley Gensmer, age 28, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to that crime. Christopher Glenn Kennedy, age 31, pleaded guilty to the same charges on August 6, 2010. Gensmer and Kennedy were indicted on April 21, 2010. A third co-defendant pleaded guilty earlier in the case.

ST. PAUL, MN - July 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Commerce has taken action against two out-of-state loan modification companies for operating in Minnesota without a license and allegedly engaging in deceptive practices. "These two cases are just further examples of why we encourage all consumers to exercise caution when making decisions related to their financial situations," says Manny Munson-Regala, Deputy Commissioner of Market Assurance. So far this year, the department has taken more than 50 enforcement actions against mortgage-related businesses, helping to ensure Minnesota consumers are protected from irresponsible and deceitful practices.

EUGENE, OR - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Northstar MLS listings just got a whole lot easier to search through with the new IDX, Inc. addition of real estate professional Michael LaBelle. LaBelle has teamed with IDX, Inc. to revolutionize the Woodbury, Minnesota real estate search, with his newly customized LaBelle Real Estate Group website. Now, potential buyers in the Twin Cities suburbs can browse thousands of listings to find their perfect property, from the convenience of his search page on his website

ST. PAUL, MN - June 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Saving money on energy may be easier than Minnesotans think. A new study commissioned by the Minnesota Department of Commerce's Office of Energy Security (OES) found that five minutes spent changing a simple computer setting could save the average Minnesota family $120 per year on its electricity bill. The savings can be achieved simply by putting a computer to sleep when inactive.

EUGENE, OR - May 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. brings its time-saving technology to Blaine, Minnesota Realtor Kris Lindahl and the successful team at Edina Realty's website. The solutions offered to agents and brokers through a customizable IDX solution give them the unique opportunity to simplify their professional website, while delivering their clients with an easy-to-use and extensive database of featured properties. Lindahl's partnership with Northstar MLS (Northstar) helps to combine thousands of area listings with the homes Lindahl represents, to give home seekers an expansive list of homes to explore.

EUGENE, OR - May 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- John Anselmo of Minnesota decided that IDX, Inc was the perfect IDX provider to display the vast and expanding area of the Twin Cities. By incorporating the dynamic map search, Anselmo was able to optimize the ability of potential home buyers to search by many specific locations available in the Twin Cities area. This IDX feature also allows Anselmo’s website visitors to compare houses in the same neighborhood, thus increasing their knowledge of the local area and current home sales prices.

Washington, D.C. - May 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (MN-06) took to the House floor in support of her amendment to H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. Rep. Bachmann’s amendment passed unanimously by voice vote with strong Democratic support leading up to the vote. Her amendment requires the Inspector General of the Department of Energy to submit a report to Congress measuring the amount of waste, fraud, and abuse occurring in programs created by H.R. 5019 and recommendations to prevent them from occurring again.

May 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 49-year-old Fridley man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis to defrauding eight mortgage lenders of $1.9 million. Appearing before United States District Court Judge David S. Doty earlier today, Taleb Mohamed Wazwaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud through the use of interstate wires. Wazwaz was charged via an Information on April 19, 2010.

April 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Troy David Chaika, age 43, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Minneapolis for conspiring with others to bilk mortgage lenders out of more than $43 million by making materially false representations and concealing material information. The indictment, originally filed in U.S. District Court on April 12, was unsealed today following Chaika’s initial appearance in federal court. Specific charges include seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud

April 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two Prior Lake men and a man from California were charged in a federal indictment unsealed today in the District of Minnesota. The indictment, originally filed with the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on April 21, 2010, alleges that Beau Wesley Gensmer, age 28, and Christopher Glenn Kennedy, age 30, both of Prior Lake, along with Cameron Roland Baird, age 29, of Los Altos, California, orchestrated a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders out of $3.1 million by causing mortgage loans to be funded based on false information. Specifically, each defendant was charged with 15 counts of wire fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and two counts of engaging in a monetary transaction derived from unlawful activity.

Washington, D.C - April 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the Flexible Licensing Compliance for Nonprofit Housing Employees Act of 2010. This legislation would extend the time nonprofit housing employees have to comply with mortgage loan origination licensing requirements set forth in the Secure and Fair Enforcement Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 ("SAFE Act") to January 1, 2011.

Washington, D.C. - April 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-5th Congressional District) recently received the 2010 Edward W. Brooke III Housing Leadership Award from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) for advancing the cause of affordable housing.

March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the quickly receding snow cover exposing last year’s leaves and other dead vegetation, yard clean-up isn’t far behind. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds homeowners that spring is fire season, and to think safety first when disposing of yard waste

March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the quickly receding snow cover exposing last year’s leaves and other dead vegetation, yard clean-up isn’t far behind. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds homeowners that spring is fire season, and to think safety first when disposing of yard waste

ST. PAUL, MN - February 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded nine grants totaling more than $3.6 million to help pay for improvements for housing and infrastructure in Greater Minnesota.

Washington, D.C. - January 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) will join Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity at a Subcommittee field hearing entitled, “The Impact of the Foreclosure Crisis on Public and Affordable Housing in the Twin Cities.” The hearing will examine the foreclosure crisis and its negative impact on the affordable rental housing market

December 28, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has distributed nearly $11 million of federal funds to 31 organizations in Minnesota working to help individuals, families and unaccompanied youth find, secure and stay in affordable housing.