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Earlier today, two nonprofit groups submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about reverse mortgage foreclosures conducted against seniors by Financial Freedom, a reverse mortgage servicer previously owned by Steven Mnuchin, who has been nominated for the United States Treasury Secretary position by President Elect Trump.

U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) was selected by his Democratic colleagues to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee during the 115th Congress. The committee has jurisdiction over legislation and regulation pertaining to energy and the environment, healthcare, telecommunications, and interstate commerce, making it one of the most influential policy-making bodies in Congress.

Three years after a federal judge rebuked the Bureau of Land Management for ignoring the risks of hydraulic fracturing in California, the agency today issued a revised draft “environmental impact statement” that still fails to carefully evaluate fracking pollution's threats to public land along the state’s Central Coast.

A 2013 memo written by attorneys in the Consumer Law Section from the California Attorney General’s office is raising new concerns about the track record of OneWest Bank, and the ethics of its former CEO, Steve Mnuchin, who has been nominated to be Treasury Secretary by President Elect Donald Trump. David Dayen first reported on the memo earlier today in an article in the Intercept.

Pending home sales dropped from both the previous month and last year in November, indicating that the robust sales registered in November will likely not be repeated in the months ahead, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today

With reservoirs rising from December storms, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today boosted its early-season estimate of next year’s State Water Project (SWP) supply from 20 to 45 percent of most requests.

At the presentation marking the creation of “The John Tripp-Silicon Valley REALTORS® Veterans Scholarship Endowment” for student veterans of De Anza and Foothill Colleges were (left to right) Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® Board Director Katherine Frey, SILVAR President Karen Trolan, President-elect Denise Welsh, De Anza College Development Director Dennis Cima, Dean of the Disability Resource Center & Veterans Programs at Foothill College Teresa Ong, Foothill-De Anza Colleges Foundation Executive Director Tess Chandler, and Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation President Eileen Giorgi

Following last year’s new mortgage industry regulations that delayed some escrow closings, double-digit annual sales increases across every major region of the state propelled California existing home sales higher in November on a year-over-year basis, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today

“The nomination of Dr. Carson as HUD Secretary could jeopardize protections put in place to undo historical and deeply entrenched and systemic housing discrimination. Just last year, Dr. Carson called Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing a “failed experiment,” calling into question whether he will enforce or overturn the Fair Housing Act rule meant to ensure that there are proactive plans in place by municipalities that receive HUD funding to overcome historic patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities.

With solar power on the rise around the country, a national network of fossil fuel and utility-backed organizations have joined forces to put the brakes on this fast-growing, pollution-free energy resource. Trade groups and think tanks backed by deep pocketed anti-clean energy ideologues and fossil interests are bankrolling campaigns, promoting model legislation and running media campaigns to provide cover for anti-solar campaigns across the country, said a new report released today by Environment California Research & Policy Center.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today issued the following statement in response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) announcement to increase the 2017 conforming loan limits for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to $424,100 on one-unit properties and a cap of $636,150 in high-cost areas. The previous loan limits were $417,000 and $625,500, respectively.

Led by the Southern California region, California statewide pending home sales grew modestly in October from the previous year and were down from September as the market begins its seasonal cooldown, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Yesterday, two nonprofit organizations formally filed a complaint requesting that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) investigate whether CIT Group violated and continues to violate the Fair Housing Act through its subsidiary, OneWest Bank. In 2014, CIT Group applied to acquire OneWest Bank, and after receiving regulatory approvals, the merger was completed in August, 2015

Bolstered by healthy sales activity in Southern California and the Central Valley, California existing home sales and median price gained ground in October on a month-to-month and year-over-year basis, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Solar panels provide pollution-free energy that delivers far-reaching benefits to the environment and the electric grid, said a new report released today by Environment California Research & Policy Center. The report outlines how solar panels on homes, schools and businesses often provide more benefits than they receive through programs like net metering, counter to utility claims that solar owners don’t pay their fair share

Rising wages and slightly lower interest rates did little to improve California’s housing affordability, which remained flat compared to the previous quarter, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today installed its 2017 Leadership Team. Leading the team is C.A.R. President Geoff McIntosh, a 30-year real estate veteran and broker in Southern California. Serving with McIntosh are President-elect Steve White, Treasurer Jared Martin, and Chief Executive Officer Joel Singer. The 2017 officers begin their official term this week at the close of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla.

California is leading the nation in the transformation of K-12 schools and community colleges to zero net energy (ZNE) performance. To honor early innovation and leadership in this market, nine inaugural ZNE School Leadership Awards were given on behalf of the California Investor owned Utilities Prop 39 ZNE School Pilot Program to showcase the people, buildings and districts that are driving this new standard for school environments. ZNE schools are high performance buildings that combine energy efficiency and renewable energy resources to produce at least as much energy as they consume annually.

Mayor Garcetti, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education President Steve Zimmer, state and local leaders joined affordable housing developer and architect Abode Communities, land owner Los Angeles Unified School District (District) and residents today for the grand opening celebration of Selma Community Housing in Hollywood. This service-enhanced affordable family/workforce residential community features 66 newly constructed homes in Hollywood.

Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna and other local elected officials along with Sacramento community health care advocates will participate in a ribbon cutting celebration Thursday, November 3, at 11 a.m. at 752B Revere Street to officially unveil a new health clinic named in honor of longtime Land Park health care advocate Steven M. Thompson who passed away in 2004 at age 62. The program will be held in the Community Center of the Alder Grove housing community across from the health clinic.