Homeowners

PHILADELPHIA, June 23, 2008 -- To protect our nation’s water supply for future use, the Environmental Protection Agency is promoting and enhancing the market for water efficient products through the WaterSense program. The latest is a draft specification for water-efficient new single-family homes. The specification will create standards that new homes must meet to be certified and labeled as WaterSense homes.

“WaterSense is a common sense ethic of efficiency for protecting water, America’s most important liquid asset. WaterSense certified homes will help homeowners save water, money and energy, and communities will have an important new tool for sustainable growth and water efficiency,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.—With the official first day of summer around the corner, U.S. households are already feeling the strain of early summer heat waves and cooling costs, high gas prices, and consumer price increases due to inflation. This summer, households are expected to pay about 30% more for gasoline, 20–40% more for food staples like milk and eggs, and 5% more for electricity relative to last year. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), low-cost efficiency investments can help defray these costs for U.S. households.    » read more »

Legislation Backed By Schwarzenegger Administration Signed Into Law Today In Washington

06/17/2008 -- Today the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008, the "HEART Act," was signed into law by President Bush. Actively pushed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Department of Veterans Affairs, this legislation makes veterans who entered active military duty after December 31, 1976 eligible to apply for Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bonds (QVMB) under the state's longstanding CalVet Home Loan Program.    » read more »

May 22, 2008 -- Clayton, Mo. - The owner of a St. Louis repair business was arrested today and charged with defrauding area homeowners by not completing repairs or honoring warranties paid for by consumers. Kenneth J. Mers (DOB - 7/30/70), the owner of AMRP Construction, was indicted on three counts of unlawful merchandising practices by a St. Louis County grand jury last year at the request of Attorney General Jay Nixon.

Mers was originally arrested last September and held in the Jefferson County jail. On May 16, he was sentenced to five years probation on two counts of stealing by deceit and one count passing a bad check in Jefferson County. Upon his release on probation, Mers was rearrested to face the unlawful merchandising practices charges in St. Louis County.    » read more »

May 22, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO -- California Attorney General Brown today shut down a team of scam artists that acquired deeds to hundreds of homes in foreclosure by convincing desperate consumers to place their property in a “land grant,” a phony and worthless real estate document.

Federal Land Grant Company—a San Diego-based business run by Bill Hutchings, his wife Xiaoke Li and former wife Shawna Landis—tricked desperate homeowners into believing that they could protect their homes from foreclosure by deeding their property to “federal land grants.” Land grant transfers, used hundreds of years ago when the United States was still acquiring land from other countries, are no longer recognized by any court or county assessor.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the Senate's passage of the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 (H.R. 3121). Senator Obama voted in favor of the measure, which passed by a vote of 92 to 6.

Barack Obama: Photo courtesy Barack Obama campaign

"Every year, tens of thousands of homeowners and businesses throughout the country suffer from catastrophic flooding, and we must do everything we can to ensure they can recover as quickly as possible. I am proud the Senate passed this legislation today, which makes important improvements to the National Flood Insurance Program.    » read more »

Request follows Trigo Fire damage assessment by team of federal, state, and local officials

May 13, 2008 -- SANTA FE -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today formally requested a disaster declaration from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Torrance County as a result of severe damage caused by the Trigo Fire.

Trigo wildfire, New Mexico: Photo by Kit_Z (CC)

An SBA declaration of disaster would give residents who lost homes, businesses, or property in the fire the opportunity to apply for low interest loans with flexible repayment terms.    » read more »

Annual notice will provide information about flood insurance eligibility

May 12, 2008 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed legislation (S.F. 2980) today that requires insurance companies and agents to annually notify homeowners if their insurance policy does not include flood coverage.

Minnesota flooding: Photo by cjohnson7 (CC)

The required notice will also remind homeowners that they have the right to purchase flood insurance if they so choose.    » read more »

May 09, 2008 -- "Working people applaud the bipartisan effort by the U.S. House of Representatives to help struggling homeowners retain their piece of the American dream. This bill is an important step toward keeping millions of struggling families from losing everything they have worked for all their lives.

President Bush’s threat to veto this legislation is both inhumane and dangerously short-sighted. The funds in this legislation are an investment in healthy communities, vibrant neighborhoods and a stable economy.    » read more »

May 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after the House approved comprehensive bipartisan legislation to address the housing foreclosure crisis:

“The New Direction Congress acted today to protect the American Dream of homeownership with a comprehensive package of housing policy reforms that will help protect families facing foreclosure and stem the continuing drop in home values around the country.    » read more »

Legislation Headed to House Floor

May 8, 2008 -- Chicago – Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, State Representative Marlow Colvin (D-33rd) and State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-16th) have initiated new legislation to assist struggling homeowners to help save their homes. The measure, introduced as the Homeowner’s Rights Act (HB 838) by Rep. Colvin and set to be sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Collins, was voted out of house committee Wednesday and, if passed, will amend the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law.    » read more »

May 7, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today introduced a bipartisan bill to help prevent injured veterans from losing their homes while awaiting adjudication on their disability claims.

The Disabled Veterans Homeownership Preservation Act would help disabled veterans who are caught up in the extensive backlog of claims pending in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Wounded Iraq veterans: Photo by soldiersmediacenter (CC)    » read more »

Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait!

BALTIMORE, MD (May 6, 2008) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Department of Labor and Licensing Secretary Thomas Perez, Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Raymond Skinner and other officials today kicked off a comprehensive, multimedia advertising campaign to help tackle rising foreclosures in the State and ensure Maryland homeowners are aware of the programs available to provide assistance and relief.

Protesters outside the home of Fed Chief Ben Bernanke: Photo by cioproject (CC)    » read more »

April 25, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is urging the chief executives of six major banks to take more robust action to help American homeowners avoid foreclosure.

In a letter to the bank executives, Senator Feinstein noted the broad economic damage caused when Americans lose their homes.

Bank of America security guards: Photo by Steve Rhodes (CC)    » read more »

April 25, 2008 -- WATERBURY, VT - Vermont's black bears have emerged from their winter dens and are looking for springtime food sources. If you have been feeding birds, you can help prevent the bears from getting into trouble by removing your bird feeders now according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

Black bear: Photo by Jean-Guy Dallaire (CC)

"We are getting reports of bears getting into bird feeders," said Fish & Wildlife’s Col. Robert Rooks. "We are urging people to help by removing any food sources that may tempt the bears."    » read more »