by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
WASHINGTON – Today, as part of its ongoing commitment to continuously improve housing relief efforts, the Administration announced adjustments to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) and to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) programs. These program adjustments will better assist responsible homeowners who have been affected by the economic crisis through no fault of their own. The program modifications will expand flexibility for mortgage servicers and originators to assist more unemployed homeowners and to help more people who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth because their local markets saw large declines in home values. These changes will help the Administration meet its goal of stabilizing housing markets by offering a second chance to up to 3 to 4 million struggling homeowners through the end of 2012. Costs will be shared between the private sector and the Federal Government; the Federal cost of these changes will be funded through the $50 billion allocation for housing programs under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
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by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
The 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan Draft is now available. Every five years, DHCD is required to produce this plan for HUD detailing how Massachusetts will use the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, Emergency Shelter Grant, and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS funding to advance housing and community development goals. This plan sets out goals and strategies for Massachusetts’ housing and community development priorities over the next five years. The plan is available online at www.mass.gov/dhcd (check the “news and updates” column).
This is only a draft of the plan, and the public is invited to comment on it. Comments may be submitted electronically to DhcdConsolidatedPlan@state.ma.us, via fax to (617)-573-1120, or by mail to DHCD, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114, Attention: Patrick Hart by April 29, 2010. In addition, there will be three public hearings at which all are invited to come and share their thoughts about the plan. These hearings will be held:
Thursday, April 15, 10 AM – 12 PM
West Springfield Municipal Building
26 Central St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Tuesday, April 20, 11 AM – 1 PM
Union Hall
Union Station, Second Floor
2 Washington Square
Worcester, MA 01604
Thursday, April 22, 11 AM – 1 PM
Department of Housing and Community Development
100 Cambridge St.
Boston, MA 02114
Second Floor Conference Room A
In addition, hard copies of the plan are available at locations across Massachusetts (click here to see the list of locations).
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
Please click here to view The State of the Nation’s Housing 2010.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA) has launched “Great Neighborhoods,” an initiative to establish partnerships with municipalities and community-based organizations to help create communities with a high quality of life that are affordable, diverse, and walkable.
MSGA requests letters of interest from local groups and communities in the Greater Boston area who might like to partner with us to plan and implement transformative projects and strategies. Responses are requested by Thursday, July 15. Click here for the Letter of Interest and Background Information.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
On October 29, HUD published its proposed regulations for implementing the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) in the Federal Register. Comments are due by December 28, 2010. To download a copy of the proposed regulations, click here.
The Housing Trust Fund Project will send out a summary of the proposed regulations later this week.
by iwd Tina | Jun 21, 2011 | Housing News
Reversing a four-year trend of sliding sales, single-family home sales in Massachusetts crept up 3 percent in 2009 from 2008, according to new data from The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.
Median home prices, however, dipped 6.6 percent from 2008 and were almost 20 percent lower than the market peak in 2005.
Please click here for the full article.
