by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
Median prices for single-family homes and condominiums in Massachusetts jumped significantly in January compared to a year earlier, according to a report released today by The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.
The median price for single-family homes sold in January rose 9.6 percent to $285,000 from $260,000. It was the second consecutive month that median prices for single-family homes increased by about 10 percent when compared to the prior year. Sales of single-family homes jumped 11.8 percent to 2,153 from 1,926 in January 2009, posting the fourth consecutive month of double-digit percentage increases in single-family home sales.
Please click here for the full article from Banker & Tradesman.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
Please click here to read the text of the The Preservation, Enhancement, and Transformation of Rental Assistance Act of 2010 (PETRA).
A section-by-section analysis of PETRA can be found here.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
The Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership has released a report assessing the effectiveness of re-housing families sheltered in motels with Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) funds. The report finds that very few families are likely to be able to sustain housing once short-term housing assistance expires. The report includes the following recommendations for the HPRP and Housing First model:
- The Commonwealth needs a case management system that goes beyond housing stability.
- Additional funding is needed for stabilization services.
- Experienced housing service agencies with established property owner relationships are best suited to re-house families and build stability.
- The barriers to entering the rental market faced by families who have been homeless must be reduced.
- Success should not be measured only by the number of families who move out of motels.
- Short-term rental assistance should be available for more than one year and renewed in yearly increments, particularly in areas with high housing costs.
Please click here to read the report.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Friday rejected a proposal by Goldman Sachs to buy as much as $1 billion in tax credits from Fannie Mae, saying the deal would have amounted to a net loss for taxpayers.
Please click here for the full New York Times article.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
BOSTON – Monday, November 23, 2009 – Building on his commitment to civic engagement and governing for the long-term, Governor Patrick and senior administration officials will host 19 Budget Hearings and Forums across the Commonwealth over the next five weeks to ensure that citizens across the state have input in developing the Governor’s budget recommendations. Secretary Ian Bowles of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will kick-off the first in the series today at 3:30 p.m. at 100 Cambridge Street, 2nd Floor, in Boston to discuss the state of our economy, the budget, and implications for the critical services the state provides.
The forums and hearings, each of which will be hosted by the Governor or senior administration officials, will give residents a chance to share their priorities for the budget and allow them to offer suggestions, ask questions and engage with their neighbors. Hearings will allow for individuals to provide written and verbal testimony regarding their specific recommendations while the forums will consist of an open conversation and dialogue about general topics concerning the budget.
“We are deeply committed to providing fiscal leadership in these challenging times that is based on our values,” said Governor Patrick. “These forums will help us accomplish that critical goal, as we begin the FY 2011 budget process.”
Continuing to responsibly manage the state budget amid an unprecedented global recession, Governor Patrick last month outlined a five-point plan for closing an estimated $600 million budget gap for FY10. Provisions of the plan included Executive Branch 9C cuts, state personnel impacts, consolidation of agencies, pooling state’s energy purchases and expanded 9C powers and voluntary cuts from non-executive branch agencies.
Dates, times, locations and administration hosts for other forums will be found at www.mass.gov/governor/forum. Summaries of the forums, along with videos and questions, will be posted on our blog, www.mass.gov/blog/engage, starting next week. If you are not able to attend a forum, you can still be a part of the conversation by contributing online.
All forums and hearings are open to the public. To find more information, visit the website or call the Governor’s Office at 617-725-4036.
Monday, November 23
Secretary of Energy and Environment Ian Bowles (Hearing)
100 Cambridge Street, 2nd Floor, Conference Room B
Boston
Monday, November 30
Director of Infrastructure Investment Jeffrey Simon (Forum)
Framingham
Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke (Forum)
Salem
Tuesday, December 1
Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez (Forum)
Waltham
Wednesday, December 2
Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki (Forum)
Bridgewater
Undersecretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Philip Griffiths (Forum)
Ware
Thursday, December 3
Secretary of Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby (Hearing)
Boston
Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez (Forum)
Weymouth
Monday, December 7
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Suzanne Bump (Hearing)
Boston
Secretary of MassDOT Jeffrey Mullan (DOT) (Hearing)
Springfield
Wednesday, December 9
Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke (Hearing)
Boston
Director of Infrastructure Investment Jeffrey Simon (Forum)
Lawrence
Secretary of Education Paul Reville (Forum)
Sutton
Thursday, December 10
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Suzanne Bump (EOLWD) (Forum)
Springfield
Secretary of Health and Human Service JudyAnn Bigby (EOHHS) (Forum)
Gardner
Secretary and CEO of MassDOT Jeffrey Mullan (Forum)
Plymouth
Tuesday, December 15
Governor Deval Patrick (Forum)
Melrose
Wednesday, December 16
Secretary of Education Paul Reville (Hearing)
Boston
Thursday, December 17
Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki (Hearing)
Springfield
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
DHCD awarded $1.35 million on November 25, 2008 to 18 cities to assist urban revitalization efforts through a new state initiative designed to support affordable housing and economic development opportunities for mixed-income communities across Massachusetts. Gateway Plus Action Grants provided assistance to cities for neighborhood or downtown planning activities that expand housing opportunities and that support the revitalization of neighborhoods to enhance economic vitality and the quality of life for all residents, including efforts to:
- Identify appropriate sites and strategies for a broad range of housing opportunities, either rental or ownership, including affordable, market-rate, workforce, employer-assisted, elderly or special needs.
- Expedite housing construction or rehabilitation through regulatory mechanisms such as changes to zoning, streamlined permitting and use of comprehensive permits.
- Revitalize neighborhoods that support affordable and workforce housing.
- Minimize the impacts of foreclosures.
- Expand housing opportunities in downtowns or neighborhood commercial areas.
Please click here for more information from DHCD’s website.
