HUD and Census Bureau: New Residential Sales Report for February 2018
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential sales statistics for February 2018: New Home Sales Sales of new single-family houses in February 2018 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 618,000. This is 0.6 percent (±13.3 percent)* below the revised January…
FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Increased in February 2018
Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages increased from January to February, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 4.28 percent for loans closed in late February, up 16 basis points from 4.12 percent in January….
FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.8 Percent in January 2018
U.S. house prices rose in January, up 0.8 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI). The previously reported 0.3 percent increase in December was revised upward to 0.4 percent. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages…
FEMA: President Trump Extends U.S. Virgin Islands Disaster Declaration
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that additional disaster assistance is available to the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands through an extension of increased federal funding, including direct federal assistance, to the Territory for debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of Hurricane Irma beginning on September 5, 2017 and…
HUD and Census Bureau: Residential Construction Activity Report February 2018
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for February 2018. Building Permits: Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,298,000. This is 5.7 percent (±0.7 percent) below the revised…
HUD: Secretary Carson Launches New Financial Controls Including Grant Modernization
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson today announced new measures to protect the financial integrity of the agency and correct lax internal processes and controls. Secretary Carson directed HUD’s newly appointed Chief Financial Officer, Irving Dennis, to design and implement a transformation plan and lead an internal taskforce to combat…
FEMA: Temporary Emergency Housing Mission Sets Path for Long-Term Recovery
Temporary Emergency Housing Mission Sets Path for Long-term Recovery After Hurricane Irma barreled through Florida, a primary concern was emergency temporary housing for those who had damaged or destroyed homes. The state and FEMA implemented several options for survivors: housing through travel trailers and direct leases, Transitional Sheltering Assistance and the Sheltering and Temporary Essential…
FEMA: $2.2 Billion in Federal Aid Approved for Puerto Rico Households and Businesses
With two weeks remaining before the deadline to register with FEMA, more than $2.2 billion in federal aid is helping fuel the recovery for households and businesses in Puerto Rico. More than 1.1 million Puerto Rico households and businesses have contacted FEMA for help and information. Survivors contact FEMA seeking help for various reasons such…
FEMA: Mitigation Grants Program Eclipsed $15 Billion in Helping Communities Rebuild, Recover and Avoid Future Losses
This year marks three decades since the Robert T. Stafford Act was amended to include funding for hazard mitigation; to date, FEMA has provided more than $15 billion in mitigation grants to support state, local, tribal and territorial efforts to rebuild their communities stronger and safer. A National Institute of Building Sciences report issued earlier…
FEMA: Transitional Sheltering Assistance for Florida Hurricane Irma Survivors Ends
Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA), which pays for hotel rooms as temporary, emergency housing for eligible Hurricane Irma survivors, ends March 10, 2018. Under TSA, disaster survivors may be eligible to stay in a participating hotel or motel for a limited period of time and have the cost of the room and taxes covered by FEMA….