HUD

March 31, 2008 -- "Today, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson announced his decision to leave the Department after seven years of dedicated service. I have known Alphonso Jackson for many years, and I have known him to be a strong leader and a good man. I have accepted his resignation with regret.

Secretary Jackson is a great American success story. The youngest of twelve children - his father was a foundry worker and his mother was a nurse mid-wife - Alphonso has always understood the value of hard work and equal opportunity for all Americans.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- (JACKSON, Mississippi) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) says Mississippi has implemented sound controls regarding how the state determines eligibility and avoids benefit duplication while administering its Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP), and the agency recommends no changes.

Mississippi homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina

The finding is based on an OIG audit of the program using a sample of homeowners who applied October 2006, just months after the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) began processing HAP applications.    » read more »

HUD provides New Orleans $2.3 million more than 2007 to support housing and development programs

NEW ORLEANS, March 17, 2008 - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced the City of New Orleans will receive more than $27 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing in the Big Easy. HUD's annual funding will also provide downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers; assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets; and offer real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.    » read more »

Letter sent to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

March 14, 2008 - U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) today sent a letter to Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) urging him to extend Philadelphia’s Moving-To-Work (MTW) agreement for one year. Moving-To-Work has allowed innovative approaches to provide housing to low-income families. The current program is set to expire on March 31, 2008.    » read more »

Requests meeting after HUD refuses to answer questions

March 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC-Following up on his questioning of HUD Secretary Alfonso Jackson at today’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Secretary Jackson requesting a meeting and answers to the questions that Secretary Jackson dodged at today’s hearing. Secretary Jackson refused to answer Senator Casey’s questions concerning emails sent by high-ranking HUD officials that suggest retaliation against the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA).    » read more »

February 26, 2008, WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced that HUD's FHASecure product has helped 100,000 homeowners refinance their mortgages and avoid foreclosure. Since September 2007, FHASecure has enabled tens of thousands of families - who are current on their home loans or past due because their teaser rates reset - to close on loans refinanced through HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is backed by the full faith and credit of the government.

The following is a statement by Secretary Alphonso Jackson:    » read more »

February 26, 2008, WASHINGTON -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today issued the following statement applauded NeighborWorks America for expeditiously awarding $130 million to HUD-approved national counseling intermediaries and state housing finance agencies that will provide thousands of families with foreclosure prevention counseling.    » read more »

Parque de las Flores Condominium Association allegedly refused to offer accessible parking

February 21, 2008, WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it has charged Parque de las Flores Condominium Association with violating the Fair Housing Act. HUD claims the association refused to provide an accessible parking space to Windy Calderon and her five-year old son who requires a wheelchair. The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to deny such a request when it is necessary to accommodate a tenant's disability.    » read more »

Virginia, California and Texas developments recognized as national models for design excellence

Darrell and Kandace Marriott, Karen Hayes charged with first-degree felonies

February 7, 2008 -- CORSICANA – A Navarro County, Texas grand jury today indicted three defendants for engaging in an organized mortgage fraud scheme. According to prosecutors, the four-county criminal conspiracy, which involved loans backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), cost the agency more than $3 million.    » read more »

Additional $1 billion requested for housing counseling, affordable housing & homeless

February 04, 2008, WASHINGTON – The Bush Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget seeks $38.5 billion for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which represents a $3.2 billion or nine percent increase over the President’s proposed budget for FY 2008 and $1 billion more than HUD’s current budget authority.    » read more »

Senate Bill Would Mandate HUD Replace All Low Income Housing Scheduled To Be Demolished

January 25, 2008 -- "Like so many Americans, we have followed with grave concern the devastation to Louisiana, Mississippi Alabama, and Texas in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.    » read more »

January 25, 2008 -- “From the earliest days after the worst natural disaster in American history, when Coast residents were sorting through the wreckage of their homes and dealing with containers from the port that had been strewn into neighborhoods by the storm, we knew it would be imperative to restore the port not only in the interest of economic development but also public safety. HUD’s approval of this important project will allow that to happen.    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory warning Florida’s senior citizens about a mortgage-related scam that may target them directly. As he unveiled legislation this week to combat mortgage “foreclosure rescue” scams, the Attorney General also cautioned senior citizens about scams associated with reverse mortgages, a type of home equity loan frequently abused by con artists and scammers.    » read more »

Convinces HUD to Take First Steps to Ensure Affordability of Building

December 20, 2007 -- Following a months-long fight to ensure middle-class housing affordability continues on Staten Island, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he has convinced the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to apply Section 250 of the National Housing Act to Castleton Park, ensuring the continued affordability of the development. Castleton Park is a 454-unit complex in St. George and one of only two Mitchell-Lama developments on Staten Island.    » read more »