Housing Affairs Letter

(HOUSING TRUST) Housing Trust Backers In Quandary

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:01:00 EST

Low-income housing advocates and House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank persuade the Obama administration to issue an open plea to Congress to help move implementation of the

(HUD) FOIA System Review At HUD

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST

Assignment of an ethics review official to assemble documents requested by HAL under the Freedom of Information Act has led to an order for a thorough review of HUD's FOIA practices. The official

(FHA) FHA Retreats On Finance Report

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:56:00 EST

A formal press conference with all the trappings had been scheduled at the Nat'l Press Club by HUD Secy. Shaun Donovan and another press gathering had been arranged at the Center for

(APPRAISERS) Move To Halt Appraisal Code

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:55:00 EST

Lenders and mortgage brokers get a slight breather when the House Financial Services Committee approves an amendment to the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency which would

(STIMULUS) PHA Stimulus Spending Questioned

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:53:00 EST

A sampling of 22 public housing authorities in 15 states and Puerto Rico by HUD's inspector general finds that less than one-third are able to spend economic stimulus money effectively

(PUBLIC HOUSING) PHA Scored On Senior Housing

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:50:00 EST

HUD investigators probing a Maine housing agency find the Brewer Housing Authority violated conflict of interest regulations in its affiliation with the Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home, a congregate

(HOTEL CONVERSION) Hotel Remake For Homeless Shelter

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:48:00 EST

Cincinnati, OH's City Development Corp. is set to help 213 tenants of a downtown homeless shelter find alternative living quarters in order to make way for redevelopment of the shelter into an exclusive hotel. But some residents mount a plan to stop the move.

(VETERANS) VA Reworks Homeless Framework

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:46:00 EST

Faced with growing numbers of homeless military veterans, the Veterans Admin. unveils a plan to shift its focus to prevention instead of providing shelter services

(TAX LEVY) Affordable Housing Levy Endorsed

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:44:00 EST

A new tax to provide affordable housing in Seattle, WA is approved by voters. Proposition 1 received 63% of the vote, and it is the fifth affordable housing levy in a row to be approved by the city's voters

(TAX CREDITS) Treasury Clashes With Tax Credit Move

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:42:00 EST

A move by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to buy $3 billion in tax credits from government-sponsored enterprise Fannie Mae could be thwarted by the Treasury Dept.

(STIMULUS) Stimulus Jumpstarts Housing Effort

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST

A $27 million allocation from New York's share of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act will help build or rehabilitate 399 units of affordable housing for low-income families, the disabled and

(VOUCHERS) Bill Targets Sec. 8 Landlords

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:38:00 EST

Legislation moving through the Massachusetts Legislature would require owners of affordable housing to notify tenants two years before bringing a housing unit's rent back to fair market rates

(CONSUMER FRAUD) High Court Ruling Empowers States

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:35:00 EST

A June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court giving states significant leverage to supervise the actions of national banks provides attorneys general with a new tool to help stem the avalanche of

(LAWSUIT) Countrywide Lawsuit Reinstated

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:33:00 EST

A federal appeals court reinstates a lawsuit alleging that Countrywide Financial Corp. violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act through a mortgage insurance captive reinsurance

(CONDOS) FHA Delays New Condo Rules

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Implementation of new rules regarding Federal Housing Admin. approvals of insurance covering mortgages for condominiums have been delayed to Dec. 7 to give the agency time to reassess the

(PUBLIC HOUSING) PHA Scatters Affordable Housing Efforts

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:27:00 EST

Following precedents set in other cities in the wake of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the Charlotte Housing Authority maps an aggressive plan to buy and rehabilitate

(TAX CREDIT) Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:24:00 EST

President Barack Obama is expected to sign a measure into law extending the homebuyer tax credit through April 30 and enhancing it. The House approved the move in a 403-12 vote a day after the

(HOME SALES) Pending Home Sales Increase

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:22:00 EST

Despite disappointing September numbers for new and existing-home sales, an index tracking pending home sales continues to show positive results

(FEDERAL RESERVE) Fed Holds To Status Quo

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:18:00 EST

Citing improvements in the economy, the Federal Reserve decides to stick with interest rates hovering around zero for nearly a year. The Fed is hesitant about increasing interest rates while the economic

(HOMEOWNERS) Refinancing Up Slightly

hal@cdpublications.com (HAL Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:15:00 EST

Refinancing activity in September tracks well ahead of lower levels reported earlier this year, a Federal Housing Finance Agency report says.