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Danbury Receives $4.3M State Grant For Affordable Housing Renovations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 25, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — The state has awarded $18.3 million in grants and loans to help fund 13 affordable housing developments across the state, including projects in Westport and Danbury, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Thursday.
“Increasing the availability of affordable housing is a top priority because the benefits extend far beyond the families and communities immediately impacted,” Malloy said in a statement.

Housing authority secures key grant to determine Mills future
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Friday that the Meriden Housing Authority has received a $500,000 planning grant for the demolition and redevelopment of Mills Memorial Apartments.
On its third submission to HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods program, the MHA, which partnered with the city on the application, was successful in earning a grant that could help redevelop the Mills low income housing units and the neighborhood in the downtown area.

Mercy Housing California’s Trailside Terrace Brings Much-Needed Affordable Housing to El Dorado County
Nestled in the scenic community of Shingle Springs, Mercy Housing California’s Trailside Terrace is the newest addition to the available and affordable living options in El Dorado County. The affordable workforce housing conveniently located to essential neighborhood services and thousands of employment opportunities is now home to 40 families and individuals with a community room for on-site resident services.

Consumer Bureau Yields to Title Insurers on Mortgage Rule (1)
A U.S. rule that would have wrapped title insurance into the total costs listed on a simplified mortgage-disclosure form was dropped by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after industry complaints.

Making Home Affordable Heads to the Sunshine State to Help Struggling Homeowners
The U.S. Department of the Treasury is heading to Florida this Friday to host a free Help for Homeowners Event at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, FL. The event will provide homeowners an opportunity to explore options for lowering their mortgage payments, learn about alternatives to foreclosure, and gain a better understanding of their eligibility for help through the federal Making Home Affordable program.

Top 5 Ways Keep Warm and Save Energy this Winter
The holiday season is almost here, and if you’re not prepared, higher energy bills are on their way with it.
EIA is predicting a likely 9-13 percent increase in heating costs for most homes this winter. Combine that with the desire to have a Griswald-like holiday display and many Americans are facing big energy bills this season. But don’t lose your holiday spirit yet!

Supporting Solutions to Prevent and End Homelessness
I am very excited to announce the Trust’s new grantmaking strategy, designed to help us achieve our mission to prevent and end homelessness. We remain more committed than ever to our mission, but it is time to hone our approach. Not only is homelessness changing – we’re seeing more homeless families than ever before, and youth homelessness is a growing concern – but we now know so much more about what works and what doesn’t to end homelessness.

How Federal Agencies are Building People-Robot Partnerships
Robots and people will form strong partnerships with one another over the next few years with funding and help from the federal government.
Four federal agencies recently distributed $38 million in grants to support the development and use of so-called “co-robots.” Unlike their commercial counterparts, co-robots don’t replace humans. Instead, they work alongside people to “enhance individual human capabilities, performance and safety.”

4 Ways States Can Help Solve Homelessness
Forty-six states are gearing up for legislative sessions – most of them starting up in January. All of them can do something in 2014 to end homelessness. If state lawmakers hear enough from constituents, they will do something. Here are 4 initiatives that advocates should be urging their governors and state legislators to consider: