February

HUD Plans to Brief the Public on the Final Limited English Proficiency GuidanceHUD will hold a meeting at HUD Headquarters on February 13, 2007, to brief the public on the LEP Final Guidance and respond to questions. February 1, 2007
HUD AWARDS $27 MILLION TO FIVE MISSISSIPPI HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO HELP REPAIR HURRICANE DAMAGED PUBLIC HOUSINGThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will give $27,320,120 in funding to help five Mississippi housing authorities to continue repairing thousands of public housing units damaged by Hurricane Katrina. February 1, 2007
As Police Arrest Public Housing Activists in New Orleans, Federal Officials Try to Silence Leading Attorney for Low-Income…New Orleans police raided the Saint Bernard housing project this morning where activists had been occupying a building to prevent government plans to demolish it. Meanwhile, the Housing Authority of New Orleans has sent a letter to one of the lead lawyers for the residents, Bill Quigley, asking him to stop speaking to the media and to remove statements he made that appear in several online videos. February 2, 2007
Purcell Announces $600K for Affordable Housing EffortsOfficials at the summit said Nashville is on track toward its goal of completing more than 8500 new affordable housing units by 2010, including the creation … February 1, 2007
Housing Plan Draws Critics’ IreBefore now, developments have been proposed under the state’s Chapter 40B affordable-housing law, which allows developers to bypass local zoning. February 1, 2007
Employers and Employee Housing: A StartDona Stewart of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency says 50 employers around the state participate in employer-assisted housing initiatives. February 1, 2007
NRT Names Fair Housing Director To Oversee Company’s Nationwide …NRT, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company, today announced the appointment of Lorna Lumpris as director of fair housing. February 1, 2007
Group Home Rules ExplainedHauptman says the Federal Fair Housing Act doesn’t protect group homes, it protects people with disabilities. Although this is true, it does inadvertently … February 1, 2007
County to Study Affordable HousingThe Johnson County Commission named an Affordable Housing Task Force as a communitywide effort to conduct a comprehensive review of current affordable … February 1, 2007
Housing Takes a Bigger BiteThe county’s affordable housing is largely south of Seattle, although Seattle and Shoreline do as well as South King County for affordable apartments, … February 1, 2007
Attorney: Lawsuits Likely in Wake of COAH RulingRound one of COAH’s Fair Housing plan focused on creating reasonable opportunities for affordable housing through the municipal zoning ordinances. February 1, 2007
Senior Housing Met with HostilityThe Lebanon Senior Apartments are the first tax-credit housing for seniors proposed in Warren County, though other such developments exist in Wilmington, … February 1, 2007
NH: Derry Senior Housing Changes ExaminedChirichiello, who previously served on the planning board, said there would be no incentive for developers to build senior housing when single-family homes … February 1, 2007
Velazquez Eyes HUD Foreclosures As Affordable Housing SourceLegislation aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing in New York City by making it easier for local governments to purchase buildings … February 1, 2007
Applicants Lineup For SF Affordable HousingEveryone knows just how expensive the Bay Area is and how difficult it is to find affordable housing. So when developers offer it, the demand is … February 1, 2007
Aging Areas Around Cities Push Suburban Renewal… Mo., a struggling suburb of 16000 on the edge of St. Louis, Benjamin Sutphin has developed a simple philosophy for urban renewal: raze and rebuild. February 1, 2007
Fair Housing Group’s Lawsuit Claims Religious DiscriminationThe Border Fair Housing and Economic Justice Center (BFHC) is suing JL Gray Company Inc., a New Mexico company with properties in Arizona, Colorado, … February 1, 2007
Katrina Aid Today Partners Focus on Affordable Housing… result of a $140000 Mississippi Association of Realtors grant to LESM, and was established to address the issue of affordable housing on the Gulf Coast. February 1, 2007
Affordable Housing Plan Takes Aim at SprawlHurricanes have taken 4000 units of affordable housing out of the marketplace in Broward County alone. And the storms have driven up insurance costs, … February 2, 2007
NJ: Board Backs Affordable Housing PlanThe Planning Board has approved a plan to promote affordable housing, despite the inclusion of a development the board has not yet approved. February 2, 2007
Kingman, NV: Affordable Housing Due DiscussionMohave County supervisors will hear a presentation Monday on the status of affordable housing in the county. February 2, 2007
Salem, OH: Officials Seek End to Predatory LendingCordray said predatory lending was characterized by the practice of re-structuring loans with added charges and fees while providing no value to the person … February 2, 2007
Foreclosures Kill the DreamHigh-cost, high-interest subprime loans are disproportionate in Black and Latin@ communities, as are predatory lending practices. Fifty percent of loans to … February 2, 2007
Feature: The Conviction That Keeps On Hurting — Drug Offenders …The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, under which local housing agencies and others who supervise federally assisted housing have the discretion to deny housing … February 5, 2007
Wait is On for Other Shoe to Drop after Blago Kills Lending LawThe law he passed requires the state to monitor predatory lending practices in a high-risk region within Cook County and to require borrowers with low … February 5, 2007
King County Housing: Hot-market falloutThe lack of affordable housing will have greater impact than most would think. Forcing people who work in centrally located areas to live in far-flung … February 5, 2007
Palm Beach County high on wrong list of housingNow comes a new international survey of affordable housing that drives home, so to speak, just how unaffordable homes in Palm Beach County really are. February 5, 2007
Baltimore: Ground Rent Called UnjustCalling the system “fundamentally unfair and unjust,” Gov. Martin O’Malley joined a group of state legislators yesterday in supporting new laws to prevent homeowners from losing their houses over unpaid ground rents. February 6, 2007
Study: Affordable housing scarceA Phoenix consulting firm painted a dire picture Monday on the status of affordable housing in Mohave County. About a year ago, the Mohave County … February 6, 2007
FL: Abuse Services Not Solely for Women“All of the (certified) domestic violence shelters in Florida provide some type of housing for men - some may do it by contracting with hotels or other … February 6, 2007
NC: Rules Will Tighten, Bankers are ToldThe proposed legislation is likely to borrow from North Carolina’s 1999 predatory lending law, which restricts the sale of loans with high interest rates … February 6, 2007
VA: County Facing Housing LawsuitMoorstein’s complaint states the Board of Supervisors violated the Fair Housing Act, discriminated against Greengael and the Smith family through … February 6, 2007
CA: Officials consider affordable housingRepresentatives from Stuart and Graham, an affordable housing consultant agency based out of Sacramento, presented a slideshow to the groups and discussed … February 6, 2007
Aspen, CO: Valley Governments Seek Common Housing GroundAt a joint annual meeting last night, officials glazed over nearly all other agenda items to talk about a growing affordable housing crisis in the mid and … February 6, 2007
Dems to Push Gulf Coast Rental HousingThe scrutiny will begin in earnest today as the House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing on the shortage of affordable housing along the Gulf … February 6, 2007
Appraisers Under Pressure To Inflate ValuesWith home prices softening and sales volume sagging in many local markets, real estate appraisers say that pressure on them to inflate values has reached pandemic proportions. February 6, 2007
Altoona, PA: Woda suing Logan Over Seizure of LandThe chapter will support the lawsuit if the township action “in fact hinders minorities getting fair housing,” he said. There’sa need for low-income housing … February 6, 2007
Two firms to develop housingA Fond du Lac firm is joining with a Milwaukee developer to propose a 24-unit affordable housing project for Milwaukee’s north side. February 6, 2007
Montreal: Consider Your Place: “A consortium of interests decided to …According to Brett Story, an anti-poverty activist and director of the documentary Going Condo: The Gentrification of St. Henri, it’s this governmental role … February 6, 2007
Fannie Mae Invests $34.3 Billion in Multifamily Housing in 2006Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) today announced that the company, through its lender and housing partners, participated in financing $34.3 billion in multifamily rental housing in 2006. February 6, 2007
OH: Bill Protects Lending InstitutionsThis bill is 19 pages long and I could not find anything in it that protected working families from predatory lending. Our state senator wrote that, … February 6, 2007
BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES $35.2 BILLION HUD BUDGET IN 2008— REQUEST IS $1.6 BILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR’S REQUESTProposal seeks 180,000 new rental vouchers and a record $1.6 billion in homeless assistance February 7, 2007
Alberta, Canada: Property Rights at RiskAs stewards of the land, there are also many issues related to environmental impact, soil conservation and project planning that they ought to focus on. February 6, 2007
NEW YORK CITY’S RESIDENTIAL BUILDING BOOM CONTINUES THROUGH 2006US Census Data Shows 2005 & 2006 Combined Produce Highest Two Year Total For Housing Permits Since 1965. February 6, 2007
Senate Set to Hear Debate on Predatory LendingThe creation of a national anti-predatory lending law is something both sides of Congress are expected to debate this year. Multiple bills have been … February 7, 2007
KY: Fair housing, School Diversity, an Integrated SocietyJefferson County), the best next option for those committed to an open, integrated society is an emboldened fair housing movement. February 7, 2007
CA: Chesbro joins Northcoast Healthcare, Affordable Housing BoardsHumboldt Bay Housing Development Corp. is a non-profit affordable housing developer. The Humboldt Open Door Health System operates community health centers … February 7, 2007
MA: Home Sweet Home Size Matters in Assisted LivingThey opened it as an assisted living residence in late 2005. As caregivers, the Frases provide housing and support services to people who cannot live alone, … February 7, 2007
VT: Senior Housing Projects Abound in Milton… housing for seniors who might not want to stay in their homes but who do not need the services provided by a nursing home or an assisted-living facility … February 7, 2007
KS: Panel Considers Sexual-orientation Discrimination BanPotter and others testified Tuesday in favor of Senate Bill 163, which would prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based … February 7, 2007
HUD DEPUTY SECRETARY TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE ON GULF COAST RECOVERY EFFORTSU.S. Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi testified today before the House Committee on Financial Services on HUD’s recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast, detailing the use of the $16.7 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) supplemental funds for the region’s long-term recovery. February 8, 2007
Housing Would Aid Pembroke Pines WorkersPembroke Pines wants to create more affordable housing in the city, and to make it available first to teachers, public safety workers and city employees. February 8, 2007
OH: Racial Profiling by Phone Alleged Fair Housing Commission Fines …“Cases like this should give hope to those who have suffered discrimination while seeking housing. Discrimination of this kind will not be tolerated in … February 8, 2007
Boston: A Room Called HomeSome activists fear that development and gentrification will lead to higher rents and the loss of affordable rooming houses. They have asked for commitments … February 8, 2007
Senate to Decide Whether to Increase Public Housing Funds - Feb 08If they talked as hawkish about their housing agenda, which will create homelessness, displacement, violence and crime and a huge burden for local … February 8, 2007
State’s Foreclosure Rates Rise, No End in SightIn related developments, senators in the nation’s capital Wednesday examined predatory lending practices that hurt minorities and seniors, and can heighten … February 8, 2007
CHRIS DODD - HEARING ON PRESERVING THE AMERICAN DREAM: PREDATORY …Today’s hearing is entitled Preserving the American Dream: Predatory Lending Practices and Home Foreclosures. This hearing is particularly timely in light … February 8, 2007
Justice Department Reaches Fair Housing Act Settlement With …Operation Home Sweet Home is not limited to the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina and targets housing discrimination all over the country. February 8, 2007
Judge Rules Borough Violated Housing ActA Pittsburgh-based organization that provides support to people with disabilities has won a judgment against Plum that will allow one of its … February 8, 2007
Congress Takes Aim at Predatory Lending as Foreclosures Hit …Cox, who specializes in predatory lending, says those being hit hardest are homeowners with so-called sub-prime mortgages. Sub-prime lenders often sell home … February 8, 2007
GA: Will Bubba Bring Back Payday Loans?Trotting out the typical reports of predatory lending practices and conjuring up images of loan-shark goons, they say that payday lending preys upon the … February 8, 2007
Public Housing Dispute Headed to TrialA federal judge said Thursday that only a trial can resolve the dispute between New Orleans public housing residents displaced by Katrina and housing officials who want to demolish the brick buildings to build mixed-income neighborhoods. February 9, 2007
Fed’s Poole Says Risky Mortgage Lending ‘Coming Home to Roost’In a hearing on predatory lending, Dodd said irresponsible lending practices “are creating a crisis for millions of American homeowners at a time when … February 9, 2007
Dr. Robert Bullard Lectures on Government Response to KatrinaDr. Robert Bullard, Ware Distinguished Professor of Sociology and director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, … February 9, 2007
2 Suburbs Move on Affordable HousingTwo North Shore communities are planning ways to develop and maintain affordable housing, even as property prices soar. Years of increasing real estate … February 9, 2007
Sapientia et Doctrina The Northern Civil Rights MovementTheir first campaign attacked widespread practices of housing discrimination that prevented African Americans from renting apartments in certain … February 9, 2007
Memphis: Predatory Lending Sends Home Foreclosures Skyrocketing in Shelby …She says the state’s predatory lending law requires lenders to disclose loan terms/conditions and to counsel borrowers on their credit-worthiness. … February 9, 2007
Affordable Housing, Growth Management Big Issues at MeetingLocal resident Rick Haylock got up before county leaders and told them more needed to be done to solve the affordable housing crisis in Collier. February 9, 2007
Lawsuit Alleges Religious Housing DiscriminationThe Border Fair Housing and Economic Justice Center, based in El Paso, has filed suit against JL Gray Inc. and Kevin Smith, the former manager of Desert … February 9, 2007
A Grand Vision for Affordable HousingIt’s also not unheard of for the developers of a site, in return for certain public incentives, to meet their affordable-housing obligation at an entirely … February 9, 2007
$15 Million Awarded for Affordable and Supportive HousingResponding to the urgent need for affordable housing and stronger supports for fragile individuals and families, King County Executive Ron Sims announced … February 9, 2007
Playing Bingo in PurgatoryAfter her application is approved and she goes through a series of interviews with social workers and assisted living landlords to determine which homes are … February 9, 2007
Push Under Way to Tighten Rules on Assisted-living FacilitiesConcerns over leases or evictions are considered landlord-tenant issues and must go to housing courts. Complaints about nursing services are handled by to … February 10, 2007
MA: Affordable Housing is Official’s ConcernHe said that, during the past 10 years, the state’s funding for affordable housing initiatives has decreased by about 50 percent. February 10, 2007
Plans for Affordable Housing in SpotlightHousing and Neighborhoods Department Director Wight Gregor said she will evaluate and score the proposals based on criteria such as affordable housing … February 10, 2007
Affordable Housing Subdivisions in the WorksTwo new affordable housing projects will help alleviate some of the need in Baton Rouge, especially in the higher-priced market after the 2005 hurricane … February 10, 2007
Cities Said to Miss Mark on Affordable HousingBut two years after Newark required developers to chip in to create more affordable housing, the city has little to show for it. February 12, 2007
NJ: Jackson May Take Land for HousingThe town wants to acquire Gilbert’s lot and 22 other small, undeveloped parcels in the area so it can build affordable housing. February 12, 2007
Truth in Affordable HousingIvory-tower types can find much in this law to debate, but there is no debating that Chapter 40B has been an important creator of affordable housing in the … February 12, 2007
Alaska: Council to Hear Challenge to Affordable HousingIf it rejects the appeal, the council then will consider the annexation request, zoning change and housing proposal. The affordable housing subsidy would be … February 12, 2007
US Agency to Pump Millions into Housing in SAAn international housing company that specializes in financing affordable housing development announced yesterday it would be managing the roll-out of … February 12, 2007
Gay Retirees Need Protection from DiscriminationFifteen of the 17 states that protect gay workers also forbid anti-gay discrimination in housing and public accommodations. The federal government ought to … February 12, 2007
City Block Grants ShrinkHOME fund allocations, first distributed in 1995, are used to pay for home repairs, assistance to nonprofit housing projects and home-buyer activities. February 12, 2007
US Housing Slowdown Snares FinanciersThe fall in financial stocks, for the second day in a row, was assisted by the warning from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President William Poole who … February 12, 2007
Homeless Count in Westmoreland Turns Up DozensEach state is required to do so by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for funding eligibility through the McKinney/Vento Homeless Assistance … February 12, 2007
Next Step: Address Public HousingThe housing authority lacks the funds now to move its Fair Oaks families in the event of closure, Hilleary said. He said he’d like the city and housing … February 12, 2007
Pets May be Federally Protected TenantsHUD - the US Department of Housing and Urban Development - enforces the Fair Housing Act. That federal law prohibits landlords from either excluding people … February 14, 2007
NJ: Council Approves Housing Plan, Even as Development Stands in DisputeThe Borough Council has approved a state-ordered fair-housing plan that includes the proposed Water’s Edge development, a proposal still under … February 14, 2007
Feds Offering Variety of Crime Help to NOMary Claire Landry, director of domestic violence services for Catholic Charities in New Orleans, said her office places victims in temporary housing, … February 14, 2007
Maine: Time to Rein in Abusive LendingWhat’s happening in Maine mirrors a trend of increasing predatory lending across the nation. The lending takes a variety of forms, from payday and … February 14, 2007
Miller: Let’s Curb Predatory LoansIowa Attorney General Tom Miller is calling on the Legislature to approve new tools for combatting what he calls predatory mortgage lending. February 14, 2007
CO: Parties Discuss Conditions of Affordable Housing RentalGarfield County’s $1.5 million commitment to affordable housing at Glenwood Meadows remains in place, but conditions for renting the units remain up for … February 14, 2007
Nags Head, NC: Quest for Affordable Housing Taking on Different LooksFour years ago, local officials and residents began to wrestle with the issue of limited affordable housing in Dare County and today, they’re still waiting … February 14, 2007
VT: Keeping Affordable Housing StableFinding or building affordable housing is one thing. Keeping it affordable over the long term is something else. February 14, 2007
Affordable Housing Rule May be Eased for Developers in Palm BeachWhile the exemption would let developers off the hook for affordable housing in the Agricultural Reserve, the county is also considering a new fee on luxury … February 14, 2007
Lack of Affordable Housing Denies American DreamThe availability of affordable housing in Asheville cuts across class and racial distinctions. The focus of this weekend’s conference will be on how … February 14, 2007
IA: Quality, Affordable Housing is Still a Priority for Marshalltown“Housing continues to be an issue. It’s always an issue of not having enough quality, affordable housing,” said City Planner Michelle Spohnheimer. February 14, 2007
Baltimore: HUD Wants Change at TopIn 2005, it acted to foreclose on the publicly assisted housing community, citing failed inspections, mortgage default and disrepair in the units built in … February 14, 2007
Lawsuit Says Government Discriminates in HousingClaims of exclusionary zoning and violations to the federal Fair Housing Act are the focus of a Fauquier developer’s lawsuit against Culpeper’s Board of … February 14, 2007
Baton Rouge, LA: Environmental Officials get an EarfulEnvironmental justice is about people’s rights to clean air and water, regardless of where they live, how much money they make or who they know, … February 14, 2007
OR: House Democrats Strengthen Predatory Lending ProtectionsThe bills (HB 2202-2205, 2209) crack down on predatory lending and high-cost financial services that leave families with few options for climbing out of … February 14, 2007
MA: Affordable Housing Threat Prompts Call for CommitteeDover residents could eventually face having 200 units of affordable housing built within town limits under Massachusetts’ statute Chapter 40B, … February 14, 2007
Bowling Green’s Low Income Housing Programs“That’s the logic behind two affordable housing programs that both the Housing Authority of Bowling Green and HANDS (Housing Assistance and Development … February 14, 2007
Mayor Wants RDA to BuyVvacant Lots, Aging HousingThe city has already exempted affordable housing from the cap but has only gotten inquires from non-profits that build subsidized and well-maintained … February 14, 2007
NJ: Judges Back Marlboro on Housing Plan at Former Hospital SiteMonmouth Housing Alliance then asked O’Hagan to determine whether the township and zoning board had violated discrimination laws by rezoning the site and … February 15, 2007
New Study Details Devastating Effects of Eminent Domain Abuse on African AmericansEminent Domain & African Americans is the first in a new series of independently authored reports published by the Institute for Justice, Perspectives on Eminent Domain Abuse, which will examine the different aspects of eminent domain abuse from the vantage point of noted national experts. February 15, 2007
A lesson on the Housing CrisisGentrification can be stopped only through protest and finding ways to ”punish” politicians and developers who don’t build affordable housing, he said. February 15, 2007
SC: Legislation Aims to Make Housing More Affordable“It’s another recognition of the need for more affordable housing in the state,” said Robert Thomas, president of the board of the Affordable Housing … February 15, 2007
MI: District Mulls School OffersWinnick will buy the land for $2 million if the city approves a three-story, 120-unit senior housing building with a one-story assisted living wing and … February 15, 2007
Israel: Absorption Ministry Lays Out Millions for Apartments that Stand EmptyThe goal was to assist older immigrants in obtaining fair housing arrangements and centralized social services. The State Comptroller’s 1999 report found … February 15, 2007
Environmental Prosecutor Buys Home With Oil LobbyistMs. Wooldridge’s last day at Justice was Jan. 19. All of the other parties to the ConocoPhillips agreement - four states, the Environmental Protection … February 15, 2007
New Zealand: Families Turn to Women’s Refuge for HousingMs Hape said the refuge was turning away between five and 10 families a week who were looking for housing but not victims of domestic violence. February 15, 2007
South Africa: New Affordable Housing Set for SteenbergAccording to the City of Cape Town, GAP and affordable housing markets comprise people who earn a household income of between R3 500 and R10 000 a month. February 15, 2007
State to Appeal Part of Affordable Housing DecisionWeeks after an appellate court shot down the state’s plan for municipalities to fulfill their court-ordered mandates for affordable housing, … February 16, 2007
Historic Credits for Affordable HousingHer bill would increase subsidies for affordable-housing projects by letting developers combine the preservation tax credit with a low-income housing tax … February 16, 2007
City Staff Propose Affordable Housing ProgramEfforts to draw new residents into Midland have been somewhat hampered by a shortage of affordable housing options, but city officials are hoping a newly … February 16, 2007
Democrats Push Economic Policy that Benefits Poor, Middle ClassesThe Fed chairman also was grilled on whether predatory lending explains the rise in sub-prime mortgage defaults. The Fed issued new guidelines last year for … February 16, 2007
Louis Cappelli Proposes 22 Housing Units Atop White Plains GarageGinsburg still has not broken ground on either the condo towers or the affordable housing, while Cappelli’s Ritz-Carlton project has surged out of the … February 16, 2007
LA: Nonprofit Drops Plan for Senior HousingHe said the nonprofit would return the credits to the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency with the hopes of securing additional credits if it finds a different … February 16, 2007
CA: Planners OK Senior Housing ProjectA 71-unit senior housing complex under the auspices of the San Bernardino County Housing Authority was approved by the Planning Commission … February 16, 2007
Walter Sondheim Jr., 98, Leader in Baltimore Renewal, DiesHe was best known nationally for his pivotal role in the revival of downtown Baltimore, which transformed a moribund port city into a model of urban … February 16, 2007
Comment: Loopholes Allow Loan Sharks to Prey on Hardworking TexansDespite rampant predatory lending, Texas has not gotten serious about cracking down on payday lenders. While the state has payday lending laws on the books, … February 16, 2007
Inclusionary Zoning Will Not Solve Housing CrisisRhode Island communities suffer a severe shortage of quality, affordable housing. Tasked with tackling the issue, many of these communities are considering … February 16, 2007
Oakland Has Alternatives to Inclusionary Housing OrdinanceThe measure was supposed to grow Newarks stock of affordable housing. However, over the past two years, it has failed to produce even one low- or very … February 16, 2007
Senior Care Gets Squeezed… the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care Industries in Annapolis. Meg DeSchriver, director of the 30-bed Grace House assisted living … February 16, 2007
Man Cited for Housing Discrimination“New Jersey law prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of familial status, and we will not tolerate discrimination against parents with children … February 16, 2007
US Rep. Watt doesn’t Want ‘Adversarial’ Subprime OversightThe banking industry has been on the defensive for months, arguing that these loans are not inherently predatory and make credit available to borrowers who … February 16, 2007
HUD Secretary: Starrett City Deal Threatens Critical Need for Affordable Housing in New York CityU.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today visited the Starrett City housing development and pledged to aggressively review the sale of the affordable housing complex. February 19, 2007
Hurricane Suits May be Settled SoonThe first major insurance settlement involving a group of hurricane-damaged homes in Louisiana is in its final stages and could be announced as soon as in a week or two, according to the attorney for the homeowners who sued. February 19, 2007
Mortgage Rates Drift Upward in Freddie Mac’s Weekly Primary Mortgage Market SurveyFreddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.30 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending February 15, 2007, up from last week when it averaged 6.28 percent. February 19, 2007
DC: Subprime Market’s Sinking Fortuness a blowout taking shape in the impaired-credit mortgage market? Could lax underwriting standards during the housing boom years — no verification of applicants’ incomes or assets, low or no down payments, and big mortgages to people already saddled with heavy consumer debt — finally be coming home to roost? February 19, 2007
Watsonville, County Appear Close to Resolving Affordable Housing SpatIn all likelihood, county leaders could count the affordable housing on the disputed 16 acres toward their state requirement. In return, the county would … February 19, 2007
UK: Defend Council Housing speaks out ahead of John Hills’ ReportMost so-called ‘affordable’ housing is not affordable for the vast majority. Public subsidies of £47000 for key worker shared ownership schemes are … February 19, 2007
Volunteers of America Improves Affordable Housing Conditions for …Volunteers of America will showcase its newly renovated Lord Tennyson affordable housing community for low-income families at … February 19, 2007
UK: Disused Properties to Solve Housing ShortageThere are about 950 properties in South Lakeland which have been unoccupied for six months and the council says it is keen to address the affordable housing … February 19, 2007
PA: M’ville Sales Pitch Probe PendingThe federal official investigating a Merrillville real estate agent for allegedly violating fair housing laws by inducing panic selling hopes to finish the … February 19, 2007
CT: Trading Spaces Plan Would use Conveyance Tax for Additional …Jason Bartlett, D-Bethel, wants to reauthorize the extra tax and use the money as an incentive for municipalities to build more affordable housing. February 19, 2007
NY: Affordable Housing Proposed for the Top of a City High-RiseNow this is showcase affordable housing! It would be surprising if developer Louis Cappelli’s latest plan for building subsidized rental apartments in White … February 19, 2007
PA: Fattah’s Housing Ideas have PotentialAs a grassroots community development corporation, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia devotes its efforts to providing privately funded affordable housing … February 19, 2007
Complaints of Discrimination in Lincoln Nearly Double“It’s hard to determine whether discrimination is occurring more often in our community, but I do believe more people are aware of fair housing laws and the … February 19, 2007
The Ugly Side of Environmental Justice13) questioning Stelco’s possible participation in Hamilton Harbour’s degradation and restoration exposes the dark and ugly side of environmental justice … February 19, 2007
Louisiana Freedmen Missionary Baptist Association Breaks Ground on …The Louisiana Freedmen Missionary Baptist Association announced Tuesday the groundbreaking for construction of 29 affordable housing rental units with … February 19, 2007
PA: A Diverse Community, including Houses and TentsThe affordable-housing movement took a big step last week when Patton Township directed its planners to come up with a new zoning district that would … February 19, 2007
LA: St. Bernard Starts Fines Against Blighted PropertySt. Bernard Parish has started fining property owners who haven’t cut their grass or secured their Katrina-damaged properties. The Parish Council recently approved an emergency ordinance fining property owners $100 a day. February 20, 2007
CA: Affordable Homes Draw Flak in MarinHabitat for Humanity and Marin County seem like a perfect fit: A well-regarded builder of affordable housing meets a progressive locale acutely short of homes for low-income and middle-class workers. February 20, 2007
NJ: Towns Uncertain of State’s Affordable Housing RequirementsIn the meantime, municipalities that had taken steps to comply with the fair housing act are unsure whether they will have to spend more money to create new … February 20, 2007
CT: Condos Get Extension: Developer Given Time to Fulfill Affordable …The developer of the planned Highgrove luxury condominium tower has received an extension on fulfilling affordable housing requirements, … February 20, 2007
NY: Residents Thankful for Affordable HousingBut both women gush over their new apartments at Chambers Court and Birchwood Village, affordable housing units built by Kingston developer Steve Aaron. February 20, 2007
NC: Council OKs Senior Housing for CherryThe Charlotte City Council voted 10-1 on Monday to approve the rezoning of a little more than an acre there to allow a 42-unit affordable housing complex … February 20, 2007
Homeless Advocates Seek Funding from Nevada LawmakersStoops cited the main causes of homelessness as lack of affordable housing and health care, followed by poor-paying jobs and domestic violence. February 20, 2007
IN: 240,000 People — How Do They All Fit?Citizens concerned about providing affordable housing for seniors on fixed incomes who require subsidized housing, assisted-living facilities or in-home … February 20, 2007
La. Levee Plan Leaves Some HelplessState and federal plans for a massive hurricane protection bulwark for Louisiana would sacrifice dozens of coastal communities, some with thousands of residents, to the next Katrina-sized hurricane. The reason: Protecting them would cost too much. February 21, 2007
Bush Administration Announces Neearly $1.4 Billion to Support Record Number of Local Homeless Programs NationwideMore than 5,300 local homeless programs throughout the nation will receive nearly $1.4 billion in funding announced today by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. February 21, 2007
Donna Valiente, 48; Activist and Poet was a Vocal Advocate for Aid to Homeless on L.A.’s Skid RowIn her fight for the dignity of homeless people in downtown Los Angeles, Donna Valiente chose two methods: direct confrontation and prayer. February 21, 2007
Brooklyn Tenants Reflect on Successful ExperimentLife on the sixth floor of Building F3 continued more or less as usual last week. Fran Garcia’s 2-year-old grandson, in his pajama bottoms, padded down the hall to 6G, where Ethel Banks, 78, was lighting a candle in memory of her identical twin sister, June. February 21, 2007
CA: Access to Clean Air Unequal, Study SaysPeople of color bear an unfair burden of exposure to air pollution in the Bay Area because they make up nearly two-thirds of the population living within a mile of refineries, chemical plants and other sources of toxic air contaminants, a new study reported Tuesday. February 21, 2007
Editorial: Eminent domain: Tool of Last ResortHistorically, urban renewal schemes disproportionately uproot blacks from their homes and businesses, triggering a host of other losses. February 21, 2007
UK: Refuges Forced to Turn Victims AwayA shortage of safe houses for domestic violence victims in the North-East is undermining a police campaign against the crime, it was warned yesterday. February 21, 2007
OH: Woman Sentenced in Predatory Lending SchemeA Cleveland woman who used a predatory lending scheme to steal $67400 from a 72-year-old Garfield Heights woman, was sentenced to four years in prison. February 21, 2007
Commentary: Section 8 Rent Hikes Threaten Disabled and ElderlyThe housing discrimination against Berkeley’s disabled and elderly is so blatant and egregious that Berkeley should not be surprised if, as with LA and … February 21, 2007
Affordable Housing Strikes it RichThe MacArthur Foundation is funding a national affordable housing research effort to the tune of $25 million over the next five years, MacArthur President … February 21, 2007
Australia: Indigenous City Housing Scrapped“I would be interested to test whether this contravenes the Racial Discrimination Act - that’s something we want to find out about when we see the details,” … February 21, 2007
MuniMae Affiliate Ventures Overseas: International Housing to …MuniMae is among the largest financiers of affordable housing in the United States, with about $8 billion worth of such projects under management. February 21, 2007
History vs. Homogeneity in New Orleans Housing FightIn this hard-pressed city a proposal by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to demolish four public housing complexes has touched a raw nerve. The demolition, which would affect more than 4,500 housing units, represents for some the plight of a poor, black underclass displaced by Hurricane Katrina and struggling to return. February 22, 2007
NY: Rent Hike Sparks ProtestTenants of a Williamsburg housing complex are crying foul over a proposed rent hike, saying management is hiding profits in sweetheart contracts with itself. February 22, 2007
Post-Katrina Baton Rouge Struggles with Its IdentityIt’s a taste of New Orleans wrapped in suburban sprawl, a symbol of the post-Katrina migration that continues to redefine daily life in this city 80 miles northwest of New Orleans. Perhaps no other city was affected more by the hundreds of thousands of people who fled New Orleans after Katrina hit Aug. 29, 2005. Within days, Baton Rouge, a city of 225,000, was an overwhelmed mass of about 500,000. February 22, 2007
Baltimore: Violence Dims Area’s ProgressThe Clay Court apartments, subsidized housing once known for open-air drug markets, had taken a turn for the better in the past two years, with the help of a new owner, extra security guards and a nearly $5 million infusion for renovation of the rundown buildings. February 22, 2007
VA: Approval Anticipated for Fire Station in Potomac YardThe Alexandria City Council is expected to sign off Saturday on a plan for a Potomac Yard fire station that includes affordable housing, a project city planners hail as a new model of public-private partnership in development. February 22, 2007
Lofty Hopes, SuspendedIt was a simple pitch: Investors would put little to no money down and take out construction loans that a developer would use to build modest homes in a fast-growing stretch of Southwest Florida. When finished, the homes would be flipped for tidy profits of $30,000 to $40,000 apiece. February 22, 2007
Lottery to Decide Who will get 400 Affordable HomesThe group formed in 1988 and over the years has taken on numerous big banks accused of engaging in predatory lending and second-mortgage scams. February 22, 2007
New Orleans: Charity, Jeff Sued After Plan to Build Housing CratersJefferson violated the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disability Act, attorney John Davidson alleges in the suit. It says the council’s actions … February 22, 2007
‘Catastrophe’ Feared after Likely EvictionsHe said the city has assisted with housing initiatives to help low-income residents and worked with agencies like the Maine State Housing Authority. February 22, 2007
Town Eyes Land Trust for Affordable HousingAn updated housing study would give the city the nexus to ask for mandatory inclusionary zoning that would require developers to provide affordable housing … February 22, 2007
Court Decision puts Affordable Housing Plans on Hold Across SussexThe ruling not only puts on hold plans for affordable housing, it also halts all builders’ remedy lawsuits while the rule changes are being made, … February 22, 2007
Audit: Housing Funds MisusedLast summer, Rivero was arrested and charged with using affordable housing money from an unrelated project to buy himself a South Miami house. February 22, 2007
Giving Victims of Violence a Safe HomeLast year alone, 190 women in the city used programs offered by the shelter to help overcome the domestic violence they have experienced. February 22, 2007
Group Aims to Help Homeowners Avoid Predatory LendersThe group, the Fall River/New Bedford Housing Awareness Partnership, said it will consider open public forums to discuss the dangers of predatory lending … February 22, 2007
Man Who Helped Scare Black Neighbors Sentenced to 27 MonthsKuzlik also was ordered to three years of supervised release and to pay $23000 restitution to the US Environmental Protection Agency and $767 to the Ohio … February 22, 2007
Advocates Push for Domestic Violence Shelter FundingDomestic violence claimed the lives of nearly 150 women in 2005. Wednesday, advocates for domestic violence survivorship programs delivered more than 10000 … February 22, 2007
DOJ Unveils Religious Discrimination Education InitiativeWe’ve launched scores of investigations involving religious discrimination in education and housing, a sharp and marked increase in the Justice Department’s … February 22, 2007
Can Homeowner Association Bar Worship at Its Clubhouse?If you were the judge would you rule the homeowner association rule barring religious services in the common areas violates the Fair Housing Act? February 22, 2007
Prof Helps Write Environmental Racism ReportSaha, who has been a scholar in the environmental justice field for the last decade, wrote a key chapter in the update titled “A Current Appraisal of Toxic … February 22, 2007
Phoenix Announces Program for the Financing and Construction of …Celebrities have their own public relations people who, we believe, will see an investment by their clients in this affordable housing program as a public … February 22, 2007
Volunteer Group Lags in Replacing Gulf HousesBut almost 18 months after storms destroyed more than 250,000 homes, Habitat for Humanity says it has built just 10 houses for poor hurricane victims here, 36 in New Orleans, and a total of 416 along the entire coast, from Alabama to Texas. More are under construction, for a total of 702. February 23, 2007
In New Orleans, Progress at Last in the Lower Ninth WardThe first new houses built in the Lower Ninth Ward since Hurricane Katrina were turned over to their owners on Thursday, creating a small island of hope in a sea of ruin. February 23, 2007
Developer Aims to Capitalise on Growing Demand for ‘Affordable …“Affordable housing represents the gap in the market between subsidised and affluent housing,” said Amdec CEO James Wilson. February 23, 2007
Phoenix Announces Program for the Financing and Construction of ……announced an extensive program to finance and construct affordable housing. The Company is addressing this need by commencing to build affordable … February 23, 2007
Affordable Housing Essential to ProgressBut the bright beginning of these children on the road to success has been dashed by our community’s destruction of much of the remaining affordable housing … February 23, 2007
Group: Support Affordable Housing“We want to make affordable housing an issue,” said Ken Jones, a veteran member of ACORN, or Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. February 23, 2007
New Orleans Nagin Criticizes Federal Response, Louisiana Housing PlanPrior to Hurricane Katrina, 14000 families lived in HUD-assisted affordable housing units. Of those, 5000 families lived in public housing facilities and … February 23, 2007
House Subcommittee Looks into Affordable Housing Issues“There is definitely a crisis in bringing back housing affordable and otherwise,” Blanco told a US House subcommittee meeting here to discuss housing … February 23, 2007
Affordable Housing Faces Funding PerilThe state agency that oversees the financing of affordable housing projects is confronting an enormous cash crunch. The New York State Housing Finance … February 23, 2007
Suburbs Should Collaborate on Affordable HousingChicago’s suburbs are short on affordable housing because they have not collaborated to reach the state’s mandated goals, according to a … February 23, 2007
A New Orleans Neighborhood RebuildsFour months or so after Hurricane Katrina, and just as residents of the Broadmoor neighborhood had begun moving back into their water-logged homes, a rebuilding commission set up by the mayor delivered another shock. February 26, 2007
When Renters Reach the Breaking PointSome feared that if they bought, the market would fall. Others simply put off the hassle of buying for as long as they could. Not surprisingly, the situation has given landlords the upper hand, and the opportunity to raise rents significantly on market-rate apartments in the face of one of the tightest markets in many years. February 26, 2007
After 25 Years, Bronx Woman Fears Getting Boot, but Help BloomsFor the last quarter century, Mildred Colon, 51, has been raising five children in a federally subsidized apartment at Hunts Point I in the Bronx. So she was shocked to learn that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development could auction off her building to the highest bidder anytime, displacing her and her 17-year-old son. February 26, 2007
At Cedar Hill, Grandeur Restored: Frederick Douglass Home Gets Face-Lift Worth $2 MillionFeatured last year on the PBS program “This Old House,” the $2 million, three-year project used everything from old photographs to new technology to bring the house back to the years before Douglass died in 1895 in his late 70s. February 26, 2007
Kingston Landlords Sued by Civil Rights Commission for Alleged …9, follows an investigation conducted in the fall of 2005 by the Fair Housing Advocates Association, located in northeast Ohio, after Dunkle complained … February 26, 2007
Working Paper: HousingWe commonly hear about the dearth of new affordable housing since Ottawa and provincial governments got out of funding such construction projects in the … February 26, 2007
Housing Trust Fund Up for ConsiderationVoters will be asked whether they want to establish a Charlotte Housing Trust Fund to aid residents’ ability to create affordable housing. February 26, 2007
Housing Trust Fund Up for ConsiderationVoters will be asked whether they want to establish a Charlotte Housing Trust Fund to aid residents’ ability to create affordable housing. February 26, 2007
Affordable Housing Should PlayThe first round of hearings on the county land use plan update finished up last week in Bethany Beach and affordable housing needs have taken a front seat … February 26, 2007
WVA: Affordable Housing a Problem… cannot afford fair market rent for a one-bedroom unit on their standard wage. Housing affordability problems are growing among working households. February 26, 2007
Boca Lags, Delray Soars in Affordable Housing MarketFor several years, Boca Raton has been struggling with the issue of affordable housing. An ordinance addressed the problem has long been in the draft stages … February 26, 2007
Freddie Mac Announces Tougher Subprime Lending StandardsFreddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) today announced that it will cease buying subprime mortgages that have a high likelihood of excessive payment shock and possible foreclosure. First, Freddie Mac will only buy subprime adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) — and mortgage-related securities backed by these subprime loans — that qualify borrowers at the fully-indexed and fully-amortizing rate. February 27, 2007
Myrtle Beach: Group Homes Worry NeighborsChase, 30, has been a resident at the domestic violence shelter for 3½ weeks . The organization initially was not welcomed by residents, officials said. February 27, 2007
Maine Mortgage Brokers Don’t Exploit ConsumersThe predominance of predatory lending in Maine has been conducted by out-of-state, nonbank telemarketers — not mortgage brokers. February 27, 2007
Jackson Announces New Partnership with Nationa Association of Real Estate Brokers to Increase African American HomeownershipU.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) today highlighted Black History Month by pledging to work together to increase minority homeownership, particularly among African Americans. This partnership is another step towards achieving President Bush’s goal of 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade. February 27, 2007
FL: Judge Rules Ordinance Discriminates Against DisabledA city zoning ordinance discriminates against disabled people and violates the federal Fair Housing Act, a judge ruled Monday. February 27, 2007
Justice Department Sues Cincinnati Landlord for Sexual Harassment“Landlords should be on notice that the Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the federal fair housing laws.” The suit seeks monetary … February 27, 2007
KY: Column: Justice for All Means Bridging Rich-Poor Gap in Green MovementThe way in which he married the issues of environmental justice and civil rights made a lot of sense to me; I hope it makes sense to you too. February 27, 2007
NY: Brooklyn’s Expanding HabitatHabitat for Humanity has housed more than a million people building one home at a time. Now the nonprofit is picking up the pace. The 31-year-old interfaith nonprofit is about to begin work on its first large-scale condo project, a three-building condo complex with 41 apartments in Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Brooklyn. February 27, 2007
Nothern VA: High Housing Costs and an Unpredictable Job Market Send Growing Numbers Into Poverty and HomelessnessThe descent from working class to homeless was swift and methodical. Rob Messick lost his job as a contract worker for a technology firm in Alexandria in September. The bills, already high, piled higher: rent, child support, car insurance, medical expenses, utilities. The odd jobs he scored didn’t keep pace. The eviction notice arrived in November. February 27, 2007
Affordable Housing Available in Downtown RaleighBecause of the high price of land, officials said it is tough to develop affordable housing downtown. A $1.5 million loan from the city and county helped … February 27, 2007
HUD Gets New View of Who’s HomelessA groundbreaking survey of homelessness being released today found that 704,000 people nationwide sought shelter at least once in a three-month period. February 28, 2007
HUD Secretary Highlights more Assistance for Native American HousingU.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today reaffirmed President Bush’s “commitment to ensure that American Indians have access to all the opportunities of this great land” in a speech to the National Congress of American Indians. February 28, 2007
Freddie Mac to Toughen Mortgage StandardsIf you’ve had trouble paying your bills lately and want to buy a home, or recently bought one with an adjustable-rate mortgage, pay attention: Lenders are making it harder for people with weak credit histories to qualify for a home loan or refinance an existing one. February 28, 2007
Warm Weather Helps Homes Sales Bounce Back in JanuaryHome sales rebounded in January, reaching the highest level in seven months, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. February 28, 2007
Social Security Number As Mortgage PrerequisiteNew legislation on Capitol Hill seeks to curb an increasingly popular mortgage practice: providing home loans to applicants using their Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), in lieu of Social Security numbers. February 28, 2007
Columbia University Launches Land-grab PlanWhen Columbia University looks at West Harlem, it sees an urban moonscape: Desolate and underutilized, it is occupied mostly by auto body shops, chain-link fences and roll-down metal gates. It must be demolished. February 28, 2007
Rats Overrun Building in Highbridge HorrorTenants charge that M&D Management, which bought the six-story, 30-unit site and five others last March, has neglected the building. They say the building gets shoddy maintenance, ceilings collapsing from leaking pipes, and visits by exterminators are irregular. February 28, 2007
High Rise Predicted in Builder Tax BreakSources say builders are scrambling to beat new legislation - introduced by Mayor Bloomberg in January and expected to pass the state Legislature - to toughen eligibility for the coveted tax-break program, which has been employed in hot real-estate markets like TriBeCa, Harlem, Williamsburg and the Lower East Side. February 28, 2007
OH: Task Force Formed to Fight Predatory Lending… to the state to pay 17 new employees to fight predatory lending, educate local officials about open-meetings laws and monitor state contracts for fraud. February 28, 2007
Belfast: Developers May Have to Build Affordable HousingHe indicated that the Government may consider adopting a system similar to one in England - where developers must build social or affordable housing in new … February 28, 2007
MD: Affordable Housing Plan PitchedThe company finances the projects through a state program that promotes affordable housing, and will apply before a March deadline for funds for the … February 28, 2007
Oakland, CA: County Looks to Capitol for Housing HelpTired of chipping away at the county’s staggering affordable housing problem with the same old tools, county officials have acknowledged that the only way … February 28, 2007
City Gets Housing BoostToronto will get new affordable housing after Premier Dalton McGuinty finally freed up $392 million ensnared in a fiscal feud with Ottawa. February 28, 2007
Foreclosure FolliesAt the press conference, sponsors said the bills are meant to target “predatory lending practices,” reduce foreclosures in Colorado, and crack down on those … February 28, 2007
Mortgages are not Sexy Party ConversationWhen Illinois lawmakers last year rolled out a pilot program aimed at reducing predatory lending in 10 Chicago ZIP codes, Green was soon part of the debate. February 28, 2007
CA: Hemet’s Senior Housing Ordinance Challenged“Congress said that interest in fair housing is paramount,” he said. He said if the attorney general’s office agrees with him, it could call for something … February 28, 2007
IL: Black History in DuPage CountyA breakthrough in housing didn’t come until 1966, when Claude Audley and the rest of the NAACP branch submitted a fair housing ordinance to the Wheaton City … February 28, 2007
Lecturer Criticizes Government Efforts after KatrinaRobert Bullard, a distinguished professor of sociology and director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, said people have … February 28, 2007
Tenants in ow-income housing left out of the loop