Housing & Development

ST. CHARLES, MD - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined Governor Martin O'Malley, Charles County officials and the American Community Properties Trust (ACPT) to announce a planned 9,100-acre "green community" development project in St. Charles, MD. The largest of its kind, the project will entail the development of 4,000 acres and retrofitting of more than 12,000 existing homes and four million square feet of commercial space, and is anticipated to create up to 20,000 new jobs through a Green Jobs Opportunity Zone, including 1,000 in the next three years. Below are Rep. Hoyer's remarks as prepared for delivery.

ST. CHARLES, MD - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined Governor Martin O'Malley, Charles County officials and the American Community Properties Trust (ACPT) to announce a planned 9,100-acre "green community" development project in St. Charles, MD. The largest of its kind, the project will entail the development of 4,000 acres and retrofitting of more than 12,000 existing homes and four million square feet of commercial space, and is anticipated to create up to 20,000 new jobs through a Green Jobs Opportunity Zone, including 1,000 in the next three years. Below are Rep. Hoyer's remarks as prepared for delivery.

ST. CHARLES, MD - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined Governor Martin O'Malley, Charles County officials and the American Community Properties Trust (ACPT) to announce a planned 9,100-acre "green community" development project in St. Charles, MD. The largest of its kind, the project will entail the development of 4,000 acres and retrofitting of more than 12,000 existing homes and four million square feet of commercial space, and is anticipated to create up to 20,000 new jobs through a Green Jobs Opportunity Zone, including 1,000 in the next three years. Below are Rep. Hoyer's remarks as prepared for delivery.

ST. CHARLES, MD - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined Governor Martin O'Malley, Charles County officials and the American Community Properties Trust (ACPT) to announce a planned 9,100-acre "green community" development project in St. Charles, MD. The largest of its kind, the project will entail the development of 4,000 acres and retrofitting of more than 12,000 existing homes and four million square feet of commercial space, and is anticipated to create up to 20,000 new jobs through a Green Jobs Opportunity Zone, including 1,000 in the next three years. Below are Rep. Hoyer's remarks as prepared for delivery.

ST. CHARLES, MD - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined Governor Martin O'Malley, Charles County officials and the American Community Properties Trust (ACPT) to announce a planned 9,100-acre "green community" development project in St. Charles, MD. The largest of its kind, the project will entail the development of 4,000 acres and retrofitting of more than 12,000 existing homes and four million square feet of commercial space, and is anticipated to create up to 20,000 new jobs through a Green Jobs Opportunity Zone, including 1,000 in the next three years. Below are Rep. Hoyer's remarks as prepared for delivery.

December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is granting in part and denying in part petitions for reconsideration filed by area highway districts and, in the same case, denying a petition for reconsideration by the Building Contracts Association.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Congressman John Salazar voiced strong support for the Obama Administration’s recent demand that lending institutions step up efforts to help those fighting off foreclosure through the government’s “Making Home Affordable” program. Specifically, Congressman Salazar expressed his anger over reports that the banks have been evasive and unhelpful to constituents in Colorado’s Third Congressional District.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The House approved legislation today to provide Americans in the path of dangerous storms with life-saving warnings. CJ's Home Protection Act requires manufactured and mobile homes to be equipped with emergency weather radios. The bill is named after CJ Martin, a two-year-old boy, whose life was taken by an F3 tornado in Southwest Indiana in 2005.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) recently received a report stating the funds from the NeighborWorks® America’s National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program (NFMC) is a success with helping Floridians facing foreclosure in the state

Houston, TX - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Al Green (TX-09) expressed his support today for the Federal Transit Administration's decision to approve a project that aims to expand Houston's Light Rail System to different areas of the city

New York, NY - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler and Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Martha K. Hirst today announced that 104 projects to reduce energy use and meet the emissions reduction goals of PlaNYC are under construction or completed.

Philadelphia, PA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- “The Philadelphia Housing Authority has shaped a model for green construction while also creating green jobs and breathing new life and opportunities for distressed communities,” said Congressman Brady (D., PA)

ROGERS, AR - December 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) --H. Collins Haynes, chief executive officer of HaynesLimited in Rogers, Ark., has joined the Real Estate Industry Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

COLUMBUS, OH - December 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than $13 million made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will support the creation of over 400 units of affordable housing in seven Ohio communities.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 2010 U.S. Census is right around the corner. Florida Housing encourages all Floridians to do your part by completing and returning your mandatory Census forms.

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.

Sends Letter to Federal Agency Urging Quick Action on Establishing Repair Guidelines for Homes. WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) commented today on a new report from a federal agency finding a strong association between defective Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and electrical wiring in homes. The report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also found a possible link between the drywall and health problems reported by homeowners

New York, NY - November 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) --BRP Companies and Halstead Property Development Marketing today announced the commencement of sales for The Douglass, a new high-end condominium development located in South Harlem at 2110 Frederick Douglass Boulevard at the corner of 114th Street.

Events in Ukiah and Lakeport Help Consumers Facing Housing Issues. Ukiah, CA - November 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), working with the Mendocino/Lake Housing Foreclosure Prevention Coalition, hosted community housing workshops last weekend in Mendocino and Lake Counties

WASHINGTON- Senator Chuck Grassley today applauded the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decision to delay the collection of rent from households remaining in FEMA-provided temporary housing units due to the 2008 floods until January 1, 2010. Grassley had requested an extension to help the transitioning families from facing the expense just before the holidays.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- In late October, 2009, the Treasury, the Federal Housing Finance Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced a new program under which housing bond issuers will have the opportunity to sell multifamily bonds to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the “GSEs”) that will in turn be securitized and sold to the Treasury. The new program is known as the HFA Initiative/ New Issue Bond Purchase (“NIBP”) program and has been created based on authority granted under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA).

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

November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The extension and expansion of the first-time buyer tax credit will come as good news for local home builders and consumers. After posting the best monthly performance in nearly a year in September, new-home construction in metro Kansas City dipped 8 percent according to statistics compiled [...]

November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Learn about fair housing practices and laws at a free three-hour workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St., assembly room D.

SACRAMENTO, CA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Construction of new homes in California continued to decline in October, prompting California homebuilders to call on state lawmakers to reexamine the benefits of the state new-home buyer tax credit enacted earlier this year in hopes of getting similar legislation passed to stimulate the housing sector and the economy, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Jay Nixon and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, chairman of the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), today announced a proposal to pay the first year of property taxes for income-eligible Missourians who buy a new or existing Missouri home after Jan. 1, 2010. They will take the proposal before the MHDC at its Dec. 18 meeting.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA-02) today invoked rock ‘n roll legend Junior Walker and the All-Stars as he announced the award of $844,176 in grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) to four new affordable housing projects in Germantown, North and West Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, PA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) today announced the awarding of $844,176 in grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) to four new affordable housing projects in the city

California still home to half of the top 20 least affordable markets. SACRAMENTO, CA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing affordability continued to creep downward throughout the state during the third quarter of 2009 as a result of incremental price increases due to increased demand for homes, the California Building Industry Association said today

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory alerting homeowners whose homes contain allegedly defective Chinese drywall manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. to an opportunity to ensure their claims against the company are preserved. Knauf is one of several Chinese drywall manufacturers accused in a private class action lawsuit pending in federal court in Louisiana, of importing defective drywall into the United States during the recent housing boom. The company has agreed to accept service of a single lawsuit that will be filed on December 9, 2009 in the Louisiana federal court However, under the court’s order, homeowners with homes containing the allegedly defective Knauf drywall who wish to be included in the lawsuit must submit claims to the lead counsel in the lawsuit on or before December 2, 2009