MidWest

St. Louis Incubator For Land Use Ideas
   The city of St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis plan to launch a living laboratory to showcase innovative ideas for transforming vacant land into sustainable assets for communities
posted 10/26/12 11:09 AM  read complete story

Justice Obstruction Alluded In Letter
   Four Republican lawmakers ask the Justice Department to answer why it allowed St. Paul, MN to drop a pending lawsuit regarding the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit challenged the concept of “disparate impact” which allows fair housing claims although the policy in question has no intention of discrimination even if bias occurs because of it
posted 10/5/12 10:29 AM  read complete story

Mayor Opposes Eminent Domain Move
   Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) opposes a proposal made to the City Council that would allow the city to use eminent domain to take properties at risk of foreclosure and refinance the mortgages to prevent foreclosures.
posted 8/16/12 1:30 PM  read complete story

Asbestos Red Tape Slows Demolitions
   Ohio cities and the state's congressional delegation want the Environmental Protection Agency to ease asbestos remediation rules they contend are slowing efforts by cities and land banks to raze and rehabilitate abandoned properties for neighborhood stabilization and redevelopment.
posted 8/3/12 11:45 AM  read complete story

Town Gears Up For Rental Onslaught
   Communities across the nation are facing a problem that until recently primarily plagued urban areas, the supply and maintenance of rental housing and control of their health and safety features in the wake of the foreclosure crisis.
posted 7/27/12 10:55 AM  read complete story

Sweetheart Low-Income Housing Contract
   HUD accuses former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) of greasing a path for his longtime fried Bobby Ferguson and his construction associates to land a city contract for a low-income housing project. The accusation by HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary Donald LaVoy surfaced in testimony
posted 5/18/12 09:58 AM  read complete story

City Fights Own Housing Authority
   Loveland, CO city officials complain directly to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan that the Housing Authority of the City of Loveland (HACL), a function separate from city government, has overcharged residents in a senior community
posted 5/4/12 12:20 PM  read complete story

Indiana PHA Sells Electricity
   A $10 million renovation of a public housing project by the Indianapolis Housing Authority lands the public housing agency a contract to supply electricity to a local power generating firm and earns it at least $20,000 a year in royalties.
posted 4/13/12 11:02 AM  read complete story

Buffett Invests In Illinois Housing
   Affordable Housing Partners, owned by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, will invest in a $29 million center for seniors on Medicaid in the Chicago suburb of Lansing. Affordable Housing is a subsidiary of Buffett’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway
posted 4/13/12 10:53 AM  read complete story

GSEs May Owe Michigan Millions
   Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may owe Michigan millions of dollars in unpaid property transfer taxes according to a federal court ruling in Detroit. But the government-sponsored enterprises are expected to appeal because cities and states around the country are waiting in the wings
posted 3/30/12 11:01 AM  read complete story