Yearly Archives: 2013

Washington, DC - December 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the expansion of the President's Better Buildings Challenge to include multifamily housing. DOE and HUD recognize the energy efficiency commitment that the Philadelphia Housing Authority is making as a Better Buildings Challenge Partner

HARRISBURG - December 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced her involvement in a federal and multistate investigation and $2 billion national settlement with Ocwen Financial Corporation and Ocwen Loan Servicing. The settlement is the result of a mortgage foreclosure practices investigation of the firms and two companies that they acquired. Pennsylvania consumers may receive over $52 million in relief through principal reductions as a result of the settlement.

Harrisburg - December 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- ‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for Jack Frost of Reading and Mary Jane Santa of Allentown, it could also be the season to put their money back in their wallets, State Treasurer Rob McCord announced today as he showcased a list of seasonal and holiday-themed names from Treasury’s unclaimed property database.

Harrisburg - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The odds of winning the ever-growing Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 259 million, but State Treasurer Rob McCord today reminded Pennsylvanians that they have a one in 10 shot at finding money that belongs to them in Treasury’s unclaimed property database. With the average claim amount around $1,200, it could be well worth a moment to search the free database at www.patreasury.gov, the Treasurer noted.

Harrisburg - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Tom Corbett today awarded nearly $2 million in Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants (AFIG) to four successful applicants for their innovative alternative fuel technology projects.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Philadelphia’s City Council approved Bill No. 130156-A by a vote of 15 – 0, which creates a Philadelphia Land Bank. The Land Bank represents major reform of the City’s broken system for putting vacant properties back into productive use

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- This week, the conference committee tasked with coming up with a topline spending number for FY 2014 reached a deal. They’ve come up with a deal that would set FY 2014 total spending at around $1 trillion – somewhere in the middle of the House and Senate’s proposed spending levels (though unfortunately closer to the House’s lower spending level)

Harrisburg - December 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Consumers are expected to spend nearly $30 billion on gift cards this holiday season, and in order to get the most of these gifts, State Treasurer Rob McCord today reminded shoppers and recipients to read the fine print so their cards do not lose value or expire, ultimately ending up with the Pennsylvania Treasury as unclaimed property

Philadelphia, PA - December 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified development firms with the goal of redeveloping three parcels located on Chestnut Street

Harrisburg - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than $14,000 in unclaimed funds is on its way back to several United Way members across Pennsylvania, State Treasurer Rob McCord announced today as he presented a mock check representing the amount to leaders of the United Way of Pennsylvania today.

Philadelphia, PA - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Philadelphia Housing Authority and Philadelphia Works have signed an agreement introducing a new job training and placement program designed to increase gainful employment among public housing residents

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nearly 1,000 people in Bucks and Montgomery counties could celebrate this Thanksgiving in a homeless shelter or on the street, suggests new numbers released Friday by the federal government.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is a participant in the Moving To Work Demonstration Program (MTW). PHA is soliciting public comments on its Moving to Work Annual Plan (Annual Plan) for PHA Fiscal Year 2015. The Annual Plan describes PHA's MTW proposed policy initiatives and activities for the period April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.

Harrisburg - November 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Deals abound on “Cyber Monday,” but today State Treasurer Rob McCord reminded Pennsylvanians to visit Treasury’s online unclaimed property auction for unique gift ideas. He urged shoppers, after they fill their virtual carts, to remain on www.patreasury.gov to find out if they are owed any of the nearly $1.3 million in unclaimed eBay and PayPal rebates and credits his department currently holds

WASHINGTON - November 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that nine communities across the U.S. will receive Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants. The $4.37 million awarded today provides these communities the resources they need to craft comprehensive, community-driven plans to revitalize and transform public or other HUD-assisted housing and distressed neighborhoods. Read more about these local planning efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today championed the use of public-private partnerships to redevelop underutilized federal real estate and save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. As chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, Barletta has already worked in a bipartisan manner with ranking member Rep. André Carson (D-IN) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), to identify nearly $500 million in savings to taxpayers by addressing underused office space

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- We pause to honor those who have donned the uniform of one of the branches of the armed forces of the United States. A grateful nation salutes the men and women who have set their personal lives on hold so that they could fill the need of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Philadelphia took a significant step in its quest to fix its broken vacant property disposition system and create a single predictable, transparent and streamlined process for vacant property disposition. The Philly Land Bank Alliance is pleased that on October 28th Bill No. 130156 was reported out of the Committee on Public Property and Public Works of the City Council of Philadelphia. However, the bill was amended at the last minute to require three elected and appointed public bodies to approve the transfer of every one of the almost 10,000 parcels of the city’s publicly owned vacant property. This adds unnecessary time and bureaucracy and will discourage investment in Philadelphia. We urge Council to remove the last-minute amendment that requires approval by the Vacant Property Review Committee, in addition to a resolution in City Council and final action by the Land Bank

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) Board of Commissioners has approved a Second Chance Housing Choice Voucher pilot program, designed to remove one of the major barriers that people on parole face to successfully reenter society. PHA will be the largest of 12 housing authorities taking part in this program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today approved two disaster recovery plans in Pennsylvania totaling $17.4 million to help Luzerne and Dauphin Counties to recover from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. These disaster plans will rely on grants provided earlier through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.