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City and County Leaders Excited to Learn that Hello Housing is now an affiliate of MidPen Housing Corporation. Today MidPen Housing, one of Northern California’s largest non-profit developers and owners of affordable multi-family housing, announced that Hello Housing, an innovator in affordable homeownership programs, has joined as a MidPen affiliate

Larkin Street youth had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their concerns as homeless young people with Congresswoman Nancy Pelsoi during a roundtable discussion held at the organization’s main service hub. Top of mind was San Francisco’s affordability crisis, however a variety of issues facing youth without stable housing arose, including the need for increasing awareness of services in middle and high school age youth and the lack of services available outside San Francisco and the Bay Area.

The City Council voted tonight to approve the Department of Utilities’ rate adjustments for water and wastewater services. The approved four-year rate adjustments include a 10 percent increase for water and 9 percent increase for wastewater. The first increase for each will take effect July 1, 2016.

At its 33rd annual World of Modular convention, held March 17-20 in San Diego, California, the Modular Building Institute presented awards for the best modular buildings of 2015 and honored industry leaders for individual achievement. More than 700 attendees from 15 countries joined the show to learn about modular building trends and best practices, display products, and network with key personnel.

New legislation introduced by Senators Mark Leno and Cathleen Galgiani provides critical protections for widowed spouses and other survivors who assume home ownership responsibilities when the primary mortgage holder passes away. The Homeowner Survivor Bill of Rights, (Senate Bill 1150) closes a loophole in California law that fails to provide surviving spouses and children important protections against foreclosure that are available to other homeowners

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the City will open a new Navigation Center and lease an additional 200 units of housing for the homeless. The new Navigation Center, which will begin accepting clients in two months, will be located at the Civic Center Hotel, which will be expanded with additional supportive services. Mayor Lee also announced the addition of 200 new units to the City’s supportive housing portfolio to provide additional exits to clients of the Navigation Center system

Low inventories and eroding affordability coupled with financial market volatility contributed to a second consecutive month of year-over-year declines for pending home sales statewide, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the City will open a new Navigation Center and lease an additional 200 units of housing for the homeless. The new Navigation Center, which will begin accepting clients in two months, will be located at the Civic Center Hotel, which will be expanded with additional supportive services. Mayor Lee also announced the addition of 200 new units to the City’s supportive housing portfolio to provide additional exits to clients of the Navigation Center system.

Los Angeles City Clerk Holly Wolcott announced that a petition for an Initiative Ordinance submitted on February 17, 2016, relative to Affordable Housing and Labor Standards for General Plan Amendments and Zoning Changes was approved by the Office of the City Clerk on March 14, 2016 for circulation and collection of signatures of registered voters in the City of Los Angeles. The official title and summary of the proposal as prepared by the City Attorney is included below

Moderating home price appreciation and improving housing inventory combined to spur California’s housing market in February as existing home sales increased from both the previous month and year, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

For the first time since August 2014, pending home sales in California decreased in January on an annual basis, according to a recent report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.). On a monthly basis, statewide pending home sales rose from December

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the acquisition and preservation of five apartment buildings consisting of 19 units of rental housing whose tenants and residents had been served with Ellis Act eviction notices.

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities completed substantial improvements to the City’s water and wastewater systems in the last four years including significant strides in the meter installation program.

Statewide pending home sales in California decreased in January on a year-over-year basis for the first time since August 2014 as a shortage of homes for sale and low housing affordability persist and volatile financial markets distract buyers, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

Seniors and the homebound residing on the Peninsula and in the South Bay may request free assistance with household tasks through the REALTOR® Service Volunteer Program (RSVP) during the week of May 2-6. RSVP is offered each year in the month of May by REALTOR® and affiliate members from the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) and neighboring REALTOR® associations to qualified seniors who cannot perform certain household tasks due to physical or financial constraints. The deadline for seniors to apply for this free assistance is April 8.

California existing home sales posted their best January performance in three years as year-over-year sales recovered from delayed escrow closings late last year caused by new loan disclosure rules, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

The Utilities Rate Advisory Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve theDepartment of Utilities’ proposed water and wastewater rate adjustments. The four-year proposal is for annual rate increases of 10 percent for water and 9 percent for wastewater.

Mercy Loan Fund (MLF), a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Denver, Colo., announced that it has partnered with Community Housing Capital (CHC) to provide affordable housing to people with low incomes in the East Bay of San Francisco, specifically in the Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has approved the addition of New Buildings Institute’s (NBI) New Construction® New Construction Guide as a LEED Pilot Alternative Compliance Path (ACP). By following the prescriptive path in the New Construction Guide, projects can earn up to 10 energy points in LEED v4.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims in Taiwan after this weekend's tragic earthquake. California has the largest concentration of Taiwanese immigrants in the nation. Today, we all join our Taiwanese-American community here in Los Angeles to mourn this tragic loss of life.