HousingWire.com reports HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, in testimony before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday, spoke of a financing mechanism to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “The funds could be used to scale up support for proven nonprofit partnerships for affordable housing production and preservation …
Obama Administration Wants Affordable Housing Soon Read More
In a follow-up to a story we ran March 10, the WausauDailyHerald.com confirms that Wausau Homes of Wisconsin does not benefit from a tax exemption law proposed by Governor Scott Walker. The earlier report had stated Wausau Homes donated $25,000 to the governor’s campaign, and in return received an exemption …
As documented on HousingWire.com, a Dallas Homeowners Association (HOA) was scolded for foreclosing on a National Guard captain’s home while he was serving in Iraq. He owed delinquent neighborhood dues of $3,500 on a $300,000 house that was paid off. Both houses of the Texas legislature have bills pending that …
Proposed Texas Law to Reinforce Federal Protection Read More
Even though the House of Representatives voted to end HUD’s Short Refi program, according to a report on Housingwire.com, 23 lenders have signed up to participate in the program. This includes five of the largest lenders in the U.S. HUD had received only 44 applications when the House decided to …
Short Refi Plan Applicants Rise as House Votes to Terminate Read More
11 update says manufactured home production was down 12.89 percent over January of last year. The report says HUD is directly responsible for the precipitous drop of HUD Code manufactured houses from 374,000 in 1998 to under 50,000 last year. It says the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Title 1 program …
HousingWire.com reports the House of Representatives voted to end the Emergency Homeowner Loan Program (EHLP) that was set to take applications beginning in the spring. EHLP, created under the Dodd-Frank Act, would provide up to $50,000 in interest-free loans for mortgage payments to unemployed homeowners for up to 24 months. …
In a follow-up conversation with MHMSM.com, Wisconsin Housing Alliance (WHA) Executive Director Ross Kinzler responded to The Wausau Daily Herald report on the manufactured housing tax break, noting a definite example of double taxation. “The provision in the state budget to exempt manufactured homes shipped out of state has nothing …
Response to Charges of Political Favoritism in Wisconsin Read More
The Wausau Daily Herald reports Wisconsin’s Democratic Party has leveled charges at Gov. Scott Walker that his eliminating sales and other taxes on manufactured housing built in the state but sold beyond the border is politically motivated. Wausau Homes’ owners donated a total of $25,000 to Walker’s campaign over a …
Did Wausau Homes’ Support of Gov. Walker Elicit Tax Break? Read More
HousingWire.com notes that on the heels of a bill passed by the House Financial Services Committee to end two programs aimed at foreclosure prevention, President Obama said he would veto both measures. As reported here last week, the Republican-dominated Congress wants to end the Short Refi program, which assists underwater …
President Obama Threatens to Veto Bills to Kill Foreclosure Programs Read More
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told the Senate Banking Committee that Congress needs to take action to restore the availability of credit to home buyers and builders. NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said, “Without access to credit, the residential construction industry will lose more small businesses and experience …
As reported on CapitolWire.com, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is on the verge of passing a bill rescinding the sprinkler mandate that came into effect January 1, 2011 for all new homes constructed under the 2009 International Residential Code. Mary Gaiski, Executive Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association (PMHA), …
The sprinkler debate in Minnesota attracted a standing-room only crowd to the House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee, according to the Twin Cities Daily Planet. The bill would prohibit sprinklers from being installed in new or existing homes. The sponsor of the bill says the National Fire Protection Association measures …
Sprinklers for Homes in Minnesota Legislative Debate Read More
According to The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), members of the House of Representatives should be urged to show their support for homeownership and the mortgage interest deduction by co-sponsoring H. Res. 25. “This resolution acknowledges the importance of homeownership to individual households, the economy and the nation,” …
Builders Urge Support of Mortgage Interest Deduction Read More
As reported in Milwaukee’s The Business Journal, the loud news currently coming from Madison, Wisconsin, is the bitter debate in the legislature over collective bargaining. The good news in Governor Scott Walker’s budget proposal is the exemption from sales and use taxes of “modular and manufactured homes that are sold …
According to IowaPolitics.com, a bill introduced in the Iowa State Senate would provide more rights for residents of manufactured homes, and make their overall dealings with community owners more transparent. Iowa Legal Aid testified to having received 500 inquiries from residents between January 2008 and October 2010. Senator Tom Courtney …
According to HousingWire.com, from an ongoing probe into alleged mortgage abuse tactics, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) sent letters to 11 well-known mortgage servicers, asking for documents that may support allegations by home buyers of fraud in lending, wrongful foreclosures, and robo-signing practices. A member of the House Oversight Committee, he …
Congressman Seeks Documents Pinpointing Mortgage Abuse Read More
In response to notice of the House of Representatives upcoming hearings to markup four bills that will terminate failed and ineffective housing foreclosure programs, the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) issued this statement: “It is worth noting that while the federal government has been spending billions of dollars …
MHARR Responds to Congress’s Terminating Housing Programs Read More
A press release from the House Financial Services Committee says hearings will be held March 2 to terminate four housing foreclosure programs that Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) said were not effective. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the FHA Refinance Program, the Emergency Homeowner Relief Program, and the Obama Administration’s Home …
Congressional Committee to End Foreclosure Programs Read More
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has issued a press release calling for intense scrutiny of the Fiscal Year 2012 HUD manufactured housing budget. The new budget request asks for $7 million in additional funds, as well as an increase from $39 to $60 in the fee paid …
MHARR Renews Call for Scrutiny of HUD Manufactured Housing Budget Read More
Delaware seniors and those living on Social Security disability need to be wary of a new state law. It is Title 25, Property, Manufactured Home Communities, Chapter 7021A, Lot Rental Assistance Program. DelawareOnline says despite the name, it tends to benefit the lot owners, and could be used to raise …
