California RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the City of Long Beach, The Long Beach Housing Development Company (LBHDC) and developer/property manager Abode Communities celebrated the grand re-opening of Evergreen Apartments, three multi-family developments that provide affordable housing for 180 residents

Washington, DC - March 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- During Wednesday’s hearing of the House Budget Committee, U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-San Fernando Valley) introduced an amendment protecting the most important tax deduction for middle class Americans, the mortgage interest deduction

La Jolla, CA - March 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bay Area home sales eased back a notch while prices continued their upward off-bottom bounce last month, the result of a slow rebalancing act in a market environment of constrained supply and finicky mortgage lending, a real estate information service reported

Washington, DC - March 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Jim Costa announced more than $5.3 million has been awarded to Fresno and Madera County organizations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds were made available through the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance competitive grant program. HUD recently released a report showing that nearly 4,500 homeless persons including more than 600 homeless veterans in Fresno and Madera Counties

Washington, DC - March 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, reintroduced the FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act. The legislation, co-sponsored by Representative Michael E. Capuano, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, is designed to strengthen FHA and to help ensure its long-term solvency. In recent years, the agency has stepped into the void, providing crucial liquidity as private firms have retreated from writing mortgage insurance policies, particularly for key groups such as first time homebuyers.

Washington D.C. - March 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Capitol Hill, NHS of Los Angeles County helped launch a new national movement called Home Matters™, which aims to build public support for the essential role that Home plays as the bedrock for thriving lives, families, and a stronger nation. Home Matters™ is spearheaded by National NeighborWorks® Association along with a coast-to-coast coalition of housing and community development organizations, other nonprofits, companies, and the public at large.

La Jolla, CA - March 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Southern California logged the highest February home sales in six years last month amid relatively strong sales of mid- to high-end properties and a record share of homes sold to absentee buyers. The median sale price edged slightly lower from January but rose nearly 21 percent from a year earlier, marking the 11th straight month in which the median has risen year-over-year, a real estate information service reported.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Request that the City Attorney draft an ordinance amending the appropriate section of the Long Beach Municipal Code to reclassify realtors from independent contractors to employees.

Los Angeles, CA - March 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County is joining forces with City of Pico Rivera to help families with homeownership. Home affordability is higher now than in the past, this is a great time for families to purchase their first home. Although foreclosure filings in California reached the lowest it’s seen in six years during the fourth quarter of 2012, there are still families struggling to save their homes. Southern California residents can take the first step in the home buying process or saving the home they already own from foreclosure, by attending this FREE event on Saturday, March 9, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC - March 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - March 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hines, the international real estate firm, and Invesco Real Estate, announced today that they have jointly acquired the Rialto Building located at 116 New Montgomery Street in San Francisco’s South Financial District, from Africa Israel USA (AFI USA). Financials on the transaction were not disclosed. Hines will oversee management and leasing of the property on behalf of the partnership

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- This week CHF|CIRB has released the December California Construction Review to subscribers. Overall, California has seen a 5% increase in housing permits from December 2011. Year-to-date permits have increased 22.46% from the same time frame in 2011, increasing from 47,336 permits issued between January and December 2011 to 57,970 total permits for the same time frame in 2012.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06) introduced legislation to help homeowners who live in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas and whose homes have sustained major damage from a fire or other unforeseen event to rebuild their homes. The Fire Damaged Home Rebuilding Act of 2013 would amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to create a waiver process to consider on a case-by-case basis allowing these homeowners to rebuild their homes without elevation requirements, while ensuring their flood insurance costs remained the same as their neighbors.

Los Angeles, CA - March 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- At first glance, Pacoima looks like any other quaint neighborhood. What makes this community different is that it’s located in an area that has been significantly affected by the foreclosure crisis. Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County (NHS) along with Assemblymember Raul Bocanegra, the Pacoima Neighborhood Council and over 100 residents and volunteers will join together with paint brushes, brooms and shovels to beautify a block in Pacoima, CA on Saturday, March 2, 2013 for Neighborhood Pride Day

Los Angeles, CA - February 28, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe joined local officials in the groundbreaking celebration for the future 5.5-acre Orange Grove Park. The County entered into a 40-year ground lease and joint use agreement with the owner of the property and the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District to develop the park. Following active community involvement during the three-year planning and design stages, a construction contract award was made to C.S. Legacy Construction to get the project on its way

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 28, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Veterans Commons in San Francisco was celebrated by public officials, including San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and more than a hundred supporters on January 30

SACRAMENTO, CA - February 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb sentenced Joel Blanford, 44, of San Ramon, California, to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for a mortgage fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. On September 19, 2012, following a seven-day trial, a jury found Blanford guilty of six counts of mail fraud

San Francisco, CA - February 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Zephyr Real Estate, San Francisco's largest independent real estate firm, achieved a sales volume of $1.5 billion in 2012, making it the City’s number one real estate brand. Zephyr has consistently been in the forefront in sales volume, technological innovation, and service to the community

CANOGA PARK, CA - February 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, received the “Friend of Affordable Housing Award” from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco for his long-standing support of affordable housing and preserving and increasing homeownership opportunities in the San Fernando Valley. Sherman also helped announce the recipients of the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) funding competition.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) today re-introduced H.R. 695, the Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA), legislation which would streamline the process for disposing of unneeded and underutilized federal properties through a civilian BRAC-like process in order to shrink the government’s footprint and save taxpayers billions of dollars.