National

New Fannie, Freddie Phase-out Plan
   Under fire from the White House and lawmakers for refusing to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help homeowners by reducing mortgage debt, the Federal Housing Finance Agency develops a plan to scale down operations of the government-sponsored enterprises now under full federal control. The plan f...
posted 2/21/12 4:42 PM  read complete story

(ANALYSIS) Data Suggest Strong 2012 Apartment Market
   In its latest report, Axiometrics Inc., a provider of data and advisory services on the apartment market, indicates that over the last three months of 2011, national effective rental rates declined by 1.05%.  This compares to a decline of just 0.59% over the same period in 2010.  However, because ef...
posted 2/1/12 10:24 AM  read complete story

(BITS & PIECES) More Housing Challenges; Flood Insurance Extended
   Outlook Consumer Delinquencies Rise: Continuing decline of real estate prices, coupled with increasing pressure on home loans because of rising unemployment, combine with the stalled momentum in other sectors of the economy to move consumer delinquencies higher in the second quarter. The American B...
posted 10/6/11 3:10 PM  read complete story

(MORTGAGE RATES) 30-Year Fixed Falls Below 4%
   The average rate for the conventional 30-year fixed mortgage drops below 4% for the first time in history amid increasing global economic concerns, says Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 15-year fixed, a popular refinancing option, also fell to the lowest level on record for the sixt...
posted 10/6/11 3:07 PM  read complete story

(AUDIO CONFERENCE) Oct. 13 Event Focuses on 'Keys to Grantseeking: Building Relationships'
     Are you new to grantseeking? Are you struggling to find your way through the federal and private grantmaking maze? Are you finding the process more daunting than you ever imagined? In these tough budgetary times, effective outreach and partnership building are more important than ever. Imp...
posted 10/3/11 3:27 PM  read complete story

Congress Pressed On CDBG, HOME Funding
   A coalition of national community development organizations, joined by hundreds of mayors, is pressing Congress to restore Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investments Partnership Program funding to at least FY 2010 levels.The final FY 2011 budget saw formula funding for both CDBG and HOME...
posted 8/26/11 11:47 AM  read complete story

Dodd-Frank Threatens Homebuying
   Financial experts worry the Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act, known as the Dodd-Frank law, threatens the housing market on several fronts, but none is more contentious among Democrats and Republicans than the requirement a homebuyer provide a 20% downpayment -- Qualified Residential ...
posted 8/2/11 4:48 PM  read complete story

(SECTION 8) HUD In Sec. 8 Budget Crunch
   Unless the administration can come up with at least $600 million by March, public housing authorities (PHAs) will be forced to rearrange their Sec. 8 agendas to accommodate a loss of nearly 75,000 vouchers nationwide.
posted 1/20/11 4:32 PM  read complete story

(AID) New Money Targets Homelessness
   HUD distributes $1.41 billion in homeless subsidies to nearly 7,000 homeless assistance programs.
posted 1/19/11 5:51 PM  read complete story

(BUILDERS SHOW) Boomers: 'We Don't Need No Stinking Retirement Community'
   Margaret Wylde, CEO of ProMatura Group market research and consulting, estimates 20 percent of Baby Boomers plan on "never" retiring, and some of them are planning to buy homes, she told an audience this week at the National Association of Home Builders' International Show in Orlando, FL.
posted 1/13/11 11:09 AM  read complete story