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Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced the first 10 winners of the Build Your Future Scholarship through ABC’s Trimmer Construction Education Foundation (TCEF). The scholarships are awarded to the top 10 students attending an NCCER-accredited program or a state/federally approved apprenticeship program in a merit-shop training facility. The scholarships are funded through a pledge of $100,000 from Build Your Future over the next five years.

Pending home sales retreated in August but remained at a healthy level of activity and have now risen year–over–year for 12 consecutive months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. A modest increase in the West was offset by declines in all other regions.

Following three straight months of gains, existing–home sales dipped in August despite slowing price growth and a positive turnaround in the share of sales to first–time buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors®. None of the four major regions experienced sales increases in August

With 78 million baby boomers entering or on the verge of retirement, the U.S. needs a more strategic approach for linking health care and housing policies and programs, according to a new Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) paper being released today during an event with the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota

Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 5.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000 units in August from an upwardly revised July reading, according to newly released data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau

Mortgage applications increased 13.9 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 18, 2015. The previous week's results included an adjustment for the Labor Day holiday.

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) slipped in August after showing mostly healthy business conditions so far this year. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the August ABI score was 49.1, down from a mark of 54.7 in July. This score reflects a slight decrease in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 61.8, down from a reading of 63.7 the previous month.

Yesterday Sheila Crowley announced that she will retire in 2016 from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) after leading the organization as President and CEO for over 17 years. Dr. Crowley will continue with NLIHC through April 2016 to ensure a smooth and successful transition for her successor

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today commended Senate Democrats, including Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and more, for their thoughtful inclusion of smart, job-creating clean energy incentives in their newly-announced energy policy bill.

States and communities can improve services and outcomes for people with substance use disorders (SUDs) by integrating housing with treatment and recovery support programs, according to housing, homeless and SUD treatment experts who convened for a frank dialogue on new service approaches for this population. The National Council on Behavioral Health and CSH highlight that and other recommendations in a report released today: The Substance Use and Housing National Leadership Forum.

The Bipartisan Policy Center applauds legislative and executive branch efforts to improve the permitting process for infrastructure projects. “For years, this conversation has been stuck in polarized gridlock. Our nation is in desperate need of increased infrastructure investments. It is encouraging to see an array of efforts to move beyond political posturing and address this complex challenge,” BPC President Jason Grumet said

Sheila Crowley announced that she will retire in 2016 from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) after leading the organization as President and CEO for over 17 years. Dr. Crowley will continue with NLIHC through April 2016 to ensure a smooth and successful transition for her successor

Today, in reaction to the release of 2014 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, NCRC President and CEO John Taylor made the following statement: “The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data release for 2014 illustrates a disturbing and highly problematic trend with hard numbers: opportunities for homeownership are still very limited. Particularly in low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color, it’s too difficult to become a homeowner.”

Despite a number of industry predictions, new data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) report today revealed that Dodd-Frank's mortgage protections and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's related new mortgage regulations did not produce a decrease in mortgage accessibility for homebuyers.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized changes to its Qualified Mortgage (QM) rule. The changes, which raise the number of loans a small creditor can re-sell and expand the number of banks that can qualify as a "rural bank," are a response to feedback from lenders.

The Coalition for the Homeless held a press conference on the steps of City Hall Monday morning to highlight the importance of curbing the sale and availability of the synthetic drug K2, as the City Council held hearings today on how to stop the drug’s spread

The American Bankers Association – through its subsidiary the Corporation for American Banking – has endorsed the mortgage insurance solutions of Arch Mortgage Insurance Company?, a leading provider of private mortgage insurance and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arch Capital Group Ltd.

The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) welcomed today’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau final rule that broadens the small-creditor designation under its Qualified Mortgage rule. The ICBA-advocated change will allow more community banks to receive QM legal safe-harbor protection for mortgage loans they originate and retain in portfolio.

As part of the program for the 2015 NMHC Board of Directors and Advisory Committee meeting, six young multifamily investment sales professionals discussed the best investment opportunities in their respective geographic markets, which buyers and sources of capital are succeeding in allocating capital and what innovation their industry may bring to the market.

The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $38.5 billion in the second quarter of 2015, as three of the four major investor groups increased their holdings.  That is a 1.4 percent increase over the first quarter of 2015