Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 2.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 464,000 units in November from an upwardly revised strong pace of 474,000 units in the previous month, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Except for October 2013, this is the strongest sales pace since July of 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have reached a significant milestone, completing more than 3 million foreclosure prevention actions since the start of conservatorship in September 2008. FHFA noted this milestone in its third quarter Foreclosure Prevention Report (also known as the Federal Property Manager’s Report), which details results of foreclosure prevention programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has announced the finalists for NAHB’s 2014 Best of 50+ Housing Awards, the premier design and marketing competition for the 50+ housing industry. A total of 63 entries were chosen as finalists and are eligible for either a Gold or Silver Award from NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Construction firms added jobs in 39 states over the past 12 months, while employment nearly stabilized in the remainder, according to an analysis released today by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials cautioned that the industry’s recovery was still relatively fragile, noting that a number of states experiencing large annual gains lost jobs during the past month.

DES MOINES - December 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Wells Fargo, the nation’s leading home mortgage lender today announced that 59 nonprofits were awarded grants totaling $11.4 million from the UrbanLIFTSM Community Grant Program to help strengthen neighborhoods in 25 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that developer Douglas Pauley and entities affiliated with him have agreed to pay $110,000 and make all retrofits required to remove accessibility barriers at 30 apartment complexes, involving more than 750 units, in West Virginia that were developed through the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. The parties’ agreement will settle the United States’ claims that defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by building the complexes with a variety of features that made them inaccessible to persons with disabilities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced a Mayoral Executive Directive ordering all City departments that have the legal authority over the permitting or mapping of new or existing housing to prioritize in their administrative work plans the construction and development of all net new housing including permanently affordable housing. Mayor Lee ordered City departments to prioritize 100 percent permanently affordable developments and then prioritize thereafter residential developments based on the proportion of permanently affordable units produced onsite or offsite through the City’s inclusionary housing program as defined by Section 415 of the San Francisco Planning Code

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for November 2013:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Led by a solid increase in both single-family and multifamily starts, nationwide housing production rose 22.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million in November, according to figures released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Do business smarter by getting the latest economic information from two nationally-recognized economists at the HBA’s annual economic forecast, Wednesday, January 15. Speakers include David Crowe, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, the National Association of Home Builders, and Chris Kuehl, Co-founder and Managing Director, Armada Intelligence

Washington, D.C. - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today sent a Notice to the Federal Register concerning Orders issued to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks (the regulated entities) requiring reporting of annual stress testing results. The Orders, which include the stress test scenarios, were issued on November 26, 2013 under FHFA’s final stress testing rule. The stress tests, required by the Dodd-Frank Act, are designed to determine whether the regulated entities have the capital necessary to absorb losses as a result of adverse economic conditions. FHFA also issued Summary Instructions and Guidance including revised templates the regulated entities will use to report the results of the testing.

Washington, D.C. - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects selected Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA, to receive the 2014 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. The award was granted in recognition of Love-Stanley’s career-long dedication to bringing design to underserved communities and to making design education, and education in general, inclusive and accessible to all. Love-Stanley will be honored in June at the 2014 AIA National Convention in Chicago.

WASHINGTON - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced $14.8 million to preserve affordable rental assistance for elderly tenants living in subsidized properties. This funding is provided through HUD’s Senior Preservation Rental Assistance Contracts (SPRACs) and is targeted for properties in HUD’s Section 202 “Supportive Housing for the Elderly” program where rental assistance may expire without this important preservation tool.

WASHINGTON - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) today gave the closing remarks at the Bipartisan Policy Committee’s event titled “A Forum on the Role of Private Capital in a Reformed Housing Finance System.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today announced its third annual “Best of Green Schools” list, which recognizes top educational institutions, individuals and initiatives across the country for environmental efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In accordance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, HUD published a Notice in the Dec. 13, 2013, Federal Register identifying Federal buildings and other real property HUD has reviewed for suitability for use to assist the homeless. The properties were reviewed using information provided to HUD by Federal landholding agencies or by GSA regarding their inventories of excess or surplus property. The list includes buildings and properties in California

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owner and manager of rental apartments in Jaffrey, N.H., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes improved four points to a 58 reading on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for December, released today. This gain reflected improvement in all three index components – current sales conditions, sales expectations and traffic of prospective buyers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In accordance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, HUD published a Notice in the Dec. 13, 2013, Federal Register identifying Federal buildings and other real property HUD has reviewed for suitability for use to assist the homeless. The properties were reviewed using information provided to HUD by Federal landholding agencies or by GSA regarding their inventories of excess or surplus property. The list includes buildings and properties in California.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco today released FHFA’s 2013 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) detailing the Agency’s progress as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) and regulator of the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs). The PAR discusses accomplishments, ongoing efforts to assist homeowners, challenges and continued efforts to meet FHFA’s strategic goals for FY 2013