HUD

March 25, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan released the following statement today in response to new data suggesting improvements in the housing market. Today, the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD announced an increase in residential home sales in February 2009.

"This week we have seen some encouraging news on housing. Sales of both new and existing homes rose in February for the first time in more than six months while home prices are starting to stabilize.    » read more »

Public housing agencies across U.S. are saving energy using ENERGY STAR products, practices

March 25, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will receive special recognition for promoting the use of energy efficient appliances in public housing units and encouraging public housing authorities across the country to follow "green" building standards.

On March 31st, HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing will be presented with an ENERGY STAR Special Recognition Award at a formal ceremony in Washington, D.C. for its commitment and dedication to furthering the ENERGY STAR program, which encourages energy conservation.    » read more »

Recovery Act Funding to increase jobs, promote energy efficiency

March 24, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Just over a month after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban announced today that, subject to HUD approval, public housing authorities can begin spending nearly $3 billion to make significant improvements to tens of thousands of public housing units nationwide. HUD is informing 3,122 local housing authorities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that spending can begin on a backlog of previously underfunded capital improvement projects.    » read more »

March 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts: David H. Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Adviser, State Department; and Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, Director of Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

President Obama also announced that he has designated Judge Emily C. Hewitt to be the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.    » read more »

March 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts: Susan Burk, Special Representative of the President, with the rank of Ambassador, State Department; Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Michelle J. DePass, Assistant Administrator for International Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency; Cynthia J. Giles, Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Environmental Protection Agency; Michael L. Connor, Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior; Scott Blake Harris, General Counsel, Department of Energy; and Joseph C.    » read more »

Funding aimed at neighborhoods hard-hit by foreclosure

March 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today approved nearly $731 million in funding for 48 States and local communities seeking to recover from the effects of high foreclosures and declining home values.

Funded under HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP),these plans will target emergency assistance to particular neighborhoods by acquiring and redeveloping foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight.

The neighborhood stabilization plans approved today include a $145 million plan submitted by the State of California, a program President Barack Obama recognized during a town hall meeting today in Los Angeles.    » read more »

March 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a new partnership to help American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs.

The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its budget on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses for American families. Donovan and LaHood want to seek ways to cut these costs by focusing their efforts on creating affordable, sustainable communities.    » read more »

Features Self Assessment Tools, Calculators to Help Borrowers Determine Eligibility, Payment Reductions under Administration's Refinancing and Loan Modification Program

March 19, 2009 -- Washington, DC-- The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today launched a new website for consumers seeking information about the Obama Administration's Making Home Affordable loan modification and refinancing program. MakingHomeAffordable.gov offers features including interactive self-assessment tools that will empower borrowers to determine if they're eligible to participate and calculate the monthly mortgage payment reductions they could stand to realize under the Making Home Affordable program.    » read more »

HUD Funds Will Help N.C. Communities With Foreclosures, Other Housing Crisis Issues

3/18/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today announced that 20 local governments, nonprofits and other organizations have received grant awards totaling $48.85 million under the new federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program developed late last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program’s purpose is to assist those areas hit hardest by the housing crisis.    » read more »

March 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: Brian Kennedy, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Labor; Dana Gresham, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs, Department of Transportation; Peter Kovar, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development; and Sherburne "Shere" Abbott, Nominee for Associate Director of Environment, Office of Science and Technology Policy.    » read more »

Company Will Rehire Laid-off Workers for Green Jobs

March 1, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) The Vice President today commended the new owners of Republic Windows and Doors, a Chicago window manufacturing plant that was shuttered late last year, resulting in the lay-off of its 250 union workers. Republic was purchased in bankruptcy court last week by Serious Materials, a California-based company that makes energy efficient windows. Serious Materials has announced plans to reopen the Republic factory and to eventually rehire all 250 of its laid-off workers at their former pay levels. Serious Materials said it purchased Republic because the Recovery Act will increase demand for its products.    » read more »

March 02, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear today announced that Kentucky will use $37 million in federal funding to help communities respond to the effects of high home and property foreclosures in the wake of the country’s economic crisis.

Surrounded by Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry and members of concerned community nonprofit groups,, Gov. Beshear said the emergency assistance, made available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will help the state and communities such as Lexington acquire and re-develop foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight within their communities.    » read more »

HUD-DOE Agreement Will Help Spur a New Industry to Create Jobs for the Middle Class

February 27, 2009 -- Philadelphia, PA – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu today announced a major partnership between HUD and DOE that will streamline and better coordinate federal weatherization efforts to make it much easier for families to weatherize their homes and spur a new home energy efficiency industry that could create tens of thousands of jobs.

Vice President Joe Biden, joined by Secretary Donovan and Secretary Chu, praised the announcement during his remarks at a meeting of the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families in Philadelphia.    » read more »

February 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan released the following statement today in response to President Barack Obama's proposed FY 2010 budget announcement:

"Today, President Obama announced general budget direction for HUD and I am very pleased with the outcome and focus. The President has designed a fiscally responsible budget that stresses the need for transparency and accountability from all agencies. HUD will be a leader in providing accountability to American taxpayers as we move forward with the budget process.    » read more »

February 25th, 2009 -- The first dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are headed out the door today, as the federal government makes $15 billion available to help states shore up their Medicaid funds.

And there's more coming up.

Just a week after President Obama signed the Act into law, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today allocated 75% of its recovery funds -- $10 billion -- to create green jobs, to revive housing markets with high rates of foreclosure, and curb homelessness.    » read more »