Yearly Archives: 2016

The Alliance to Save Energy called on lawmakers to restore common-sense energy efficiency tax breaks for American consumers and businesses that Congress – like a Grinch – is allowing to expire on Dec. 31

United Shore Financial Services LLC (USFS) has agreed to pay the United States $48 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly originating and underwriting mortgage loans insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet applicable requirements, the Justice Department announced today.  USFS is headquartered in Troy, Michigan

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's New England Housing Network Federal Forum and discussed how to work together to advocate for affordable housing in the Trump Administration. The video from the forum is now available!

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the final year-end report of the Obama administration's results creating jobs and investing in rural communities nationwide.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 5.2 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 592,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The United States Department of Justice today filed a civil complaint in the Eastern District of New York against Barclays Bank PLC and several of its United States affiliates (together, Barclays), alleging that Barclays engaged in a fraudulent scheme to sell residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) supported by defective and misrepresented mortgage loans.  As alleged in the complaint, from 2005 to 2007, Barclays personnel repeatedly misrepresented the characteristics of the loans backing securities they sold to investors throughout the world, who incurred billions of dollars in losses as a result of the fraudulent scheme

La Fête Chocolat, one of South America’s largest high-end chocolate manufacturers, opened its first U.S. retail location at Lenox Square Mall in November. Lenox Square Mall is one of the premier shopping destinations in the Southeast with nearly 250 specialty stores. JLL’s Retail team, led by Senior Vice President Sarah Williams and Senior Associate Logan Elder, represented La Fête

Construction employment increased in 211 metro areas between November 2015 and November 2016, the lowest number of metro areas to add jobs in four years, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that contractors in many parts of the country continue to struggle with worker shortages and urged the incoming Trump administration to include workforce measures with its new infrastructure program.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz today announced Charles B. Curtis as the third recipient of the James R. Schlesinger Medal for Energy Security.  When the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) were established on October 1, 1977, Schlesinger and Curtis were appointed by President Carter as the first DOE Secretary and FERC Chairman, respectively.  Later, Mr. Curtis served as Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary of Energy during the Clinton Administration.

The U.S. Department of Energy today offered a conditional commitment to guarantee loans of up to $2 billion to Lake Charles Methanol, LLC to construct the world’s first methanol production facility to employ carbon capture technology in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The captured carbon would be utilized for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in Texas.

In Changing Patterns XXIII(link is external) the Massachusetts Community & Banking Council (MCBC) offers information on patterns of mortgage lending in the City of Boston, in Greater Boston, in Massachusetts, and in thirty-six large cities and towns. Specifically, the report examines