Archives

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, at a House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled "Building a Sustainable Housing Finance System: Examining Regulatory Impediments to Private Investment Capital", Congressman John Campbell (R-CA) delivered the following opening statement highlighting the potential danger of eminent domain powers being used to bailout bankrupt cities:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The homebuilding boom could be returning to parts of California, as real estate values are starting to show strong signs of recovery in the last 12 months. According to an article by the LA Times, demand for homes in some areas of California is returning to pre-recession levels.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- AB 433 (Gordon) has been approved by the Assembly Floor on a 73-0 vote. Introduced in February, this CBIA-sponsored measure would allow residential fire sprinkler systems in new homes to be installed by licensed plumbers.

C.W. Driver serves as general contractor for the $35 million project WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- C.W. Driver, a premiere builder...

Los Angeles, CA - April 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Children from Ramona Gardens HeadStart program enjoyed a special story time with Housing Authority’s President and CEO Doug Guthrie. He stopped by the library to mark the one year anniversary of the opening of the Ramona Gardens library.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new survey of housing counselors in California reveals that banks are violating several consumer protections that were mandated by the $26 billion National Mortgage Settlement (NMS) and the California Homeowners Bill of Rights. In addition, the survey reveals that bank practices continue to disproportionately affect disadvantaged and hard-hit communities including limited English proficient (LEP) borrowers, widows, and people with disabilities. The results of the survey were released today in a report, “Chasm Between Words and Deeds IX: Bank Violations Hurt Hardest Hit Communities” (pdf)

SAN FRANCISCO - March 29, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced a $1 million California Homeowner Bill of Rights implementation grant to The National Housing Law Project.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- With her family and friends by her side, Lillian Thompson, a long-time resident of the Marina Manor Public Housing Development, and one of the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles’ (HACoLA) first Marina Manor residents, was honored by HACoLA’s Resident Council at a “Celebration of Life” event as she turned 103 years old.

Washington, DC - March 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Momentum continues to build for legislation that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) introduced last month to regulate helicopter traffic and noise in Los Angeles County. Several affected cities and local organizations have joined in support of the bill. The Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act (H.R. 456) would require the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) to provide Los Angeles County residents relief from the noise caused by low-flying helicopters above residential neighborhoods.

GLENDALE, CA - March 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- It’s apparent that the majority of the Gen Y generation – those between 20 and 34 years old – have something in common: they don’t demand a large living space in order to live comfortably. In fact, this demographic is actually reshaping the multifamily development market. One such developer, AMF Development, LLC (AMFD), has unveiled one of the first micro one-bedroom designs specifically targeted for the Gen Y crowd in Southern California that not only offers all the amenities that this demographic wants, but also focuses on the socio-economic factors as well

Washington, DC - March 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) proudly cosponsored H.R. 858, the “Rural Housing Preservation Act”, introduced by Rep. Fortenberry (NE-1), which preserves the definition of “rural” until 2020 Census data is available, ensuring that over 900 rural communities in metro areas, like Imperial and Brawley, remain eligible for critical U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development funding

SAN DIEGO, CA - March 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A unique approach to helping 223 homeless men and women escape homelessness has become a reality in downtown San Diego with the grand opening today of the city-sponsored Connections Housing Downtown, a year-round one-stop homeless housing and service center.

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 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.

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

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) -- 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.

Rancho Cucamonga, - March 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the state of the economy. As the Vice Chairman of the Committee, I expressed my concerns about the impact new housing regulations mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act will have on our local economy, job creation and the value of our homes in the 31st Congressional District