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LOS ANGELES, CA - July 6, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- A real estate developer who formerly resided in Atascadero was indicted today on federal fraud and money laundering charges that accuse him of bilking investors who put money into Central Coast real estate projects—money that was siphoned off for other purposes, including maintaining a lavish lifestyle.

SACRAMENTO, CA - July 4, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the non-conference committee components of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights have passed out of legislative committees.

SACRAMENTO, CA - July 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced the California Homeowner Bill of Rights is one step closer to becoming law after key provisions passed the California Legislature today. The bills, which provide first of their kind protections for homeowners and reforms to the mortgage and foreclosure process, will now be sent to the desk of Governor Jerry Brown for consideration. The bills were approved 53 to 25 in the Assembly and 25 to 13 in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Both houses of the California Legislature today approved the Foreclosure Reduction Act, a bill designed to reduce unnecessary foreclosures in the state. The bill is the centerpiece legislation of Attorney General Kamala Harris' Homeowner Bill of Rights.

LOS ANGELES, CA - June 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Business Services® Inc. (REBS®), the subsidiary of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.), today announced a partnership with VerticalResponse, a leading provider of self-service marketing solutions for small businesses including email marketing, social media marketing, online surveys, event marketing, and direct mail marketing, to power its Clarus Connect™ marketing solutions service. Clarus Connect™ will make it easy for California REALTORS® to create, manage and analyze their email marketing, social media, and other marketing efforts from a single easy-to-use platform

SACRAMENTO, CA - June 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the passage of two central elements of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights through a special two-house conference committee. The 4 to 1 vote sends the bills to an expected vote next week in both the Assembly and Senate

LOS ANGELES, CA - June 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pending home sales in California were flat from April but posted double-digit gains from the previous year for the fourth straight month, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today. Additionally, the share of distressed sales continued to decline from year-ago levels, signaling a return of non-investors to the housing market.

Burlington, Vermont - June 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Champlain Housing Trust announced today that the organization has been selected as a winner of the TD Charitable Foundation’s 2011 Housing for Everyone competition, one of 25 selected nationally out of a pool of about 500 submissions.

SACRAMENTO - June 20, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the Assembly Public Safety Committee passed an important piece of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights that aims to protect California homeowners from fraud and scams.

Long Beach, CA - June 19, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Neighborhood Resource Center and Union Bank will present a "First-Time Home Buyer" workshop on Saturday, June 23, from 10 am to 1 pm at 1900 Atlantic Avenue in the second floor conference room. The workshop is free, and free parking is available behind the Union Bank building.

LOS ANGELES, CA - June 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- California’s housing market continued to improve in May, with home prices posting solid gains for the third straight month and home sales well above last year’s pace, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Washington, DC - June 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-01) today announced a $145,837 federal grant that will help provide permanent housing and support to veterans on the North Coast. The grant, provided through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will be administered by the North Coast Veterans Resource Center and Humboldt County Housing Authority. The funds will be used as vouchers to provide rental assistance for homeless and disabled veterans. Twenty-five vouchers were awarded.

Washington, D.C. - June 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Reps. Gary Peters (D-MI), John Campbell (R-CA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the Preserving American Homeownership Act of 2012. The crux of this legislation is the creation of a principal reduction program to allow eligible homeowners to have their underwater properties revalued at a more accurate level. By implementing this program, struggling homeowners could qualify for more affordable monthly mortgage payments which would cut foreclosure rates and strengthen the housing market. And by using a shared appreciation model, taxpayers would receive a portion of future revenues from the sale of the house.

LOS ANGELES, CA - June 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of two individuals in a $1.3 million Ponzi scheme that targeted Latino investors, many of whom were seniors.

Chicago, IL - June 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and USGBC’s Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) will launch the California Best Buildings Challenge at the closing plenary event of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), a meeting focused on finding solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States.

June 7, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee today asked the nation’s five mortgage loan servicers that settled in the joint federal-state mortgage settlement to voluntarily pause foreclosure proceedings against homeowners who are at risk for foreclosure but could be eligible for assistance under the terms of the settlement

SAN JOSE, CA - May 31, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The three founders of S3 Partners who allegedly defrauded numerous individual investors and banks out of more than $21 million in connection with a real estate investment fraud scheme were arrested and arraigned on 33 counts of conspiracy, wire, mail, bank and securities fraud, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 31, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the Assembly and Senate each passed important components of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights that will help protect homeowners from scams.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 31, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Californians need Attorney General Harris’ Homeowner Bill of Rights to fix mortgage lending abuses and speed economic recovery. But lobbyists fighting it in Sacramento have now enlisted mortgage bankers from around the country to help them defeat it.

May 24, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the introduction of a Housing Trust Fund Charter Amendment to the Board of Supervisors to protect family housing in San Francisco. If adopted by the Board and approved by voters, a permanent source of revenue would fund the creation of housing that is affordable to low and moderate households in San Francisco for the next 30 years. The measure is expected to go before voters in November.