From The Seattle Times in Washington State comes word that the head of one of the city’s most prominent real estate investment companies has begun a start-up to build modular apartments, military housing, motels, and student housing.  Dale Sperling, former CEO and president of Unico Properties, which manages 15 million square feet of commercial real estate, is convinced of the need for affordable housing in downtown neighborhoods.  He says his children raised his consciousness about recycling and green technology.  He realizes that many people in the younger generation are shying away from buying homes because they have seen acquaintances lose equity in real estate.  Sperling seized on an opportunity to buy a modular business for 15 cents on the dollar, and convinced longtime business associate Chuck Collins to join him in the venture.  Collins says he has never seen so much zeal in Sperling for any project, adding, “I’ve never seen him so convinced about something as he is about this.”