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HARRISBURG - December 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Linda Kelly today announced that a consumer protection lawsuit filed against several employees linked to OPFM ? a defunct financial services company operating in Reading and Lancaster counties involved in a wide-reaching Central Pennsylvania mortgage fraud case ? has resulted in judgments totaling more than $28 million in restitution for the benefit of hundreds of consumers victimized by this Ponzi scheme.

December 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A multiple-year housing subsidy program, sponsored by the City of Philadelphia's Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity and Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, and supported by PMHCC, Inc., is in need of Housing Quality Standards-certified housing inspectors to perform inspections consistent with HUD Housing Quality Standards (24 CFR 982.401).

Duquesne, PA - December 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Proceeds from a nine-year-old, uncashed $1,500 check will soon be back in the rightful possession of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank after Pennsylvania State Treasurer Rob McCord today reunited the organization with its unclaimed property.

December 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) makes it possible for hungry families to purchase food that is essential to their well-being. Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, SNAP is cost-effective and reaches the neediest households. Income-eligible program participants, having been screened by the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare, receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer ACCESS Card that is used just as a credit card is used at point-of-purchase. An eligible household's income may not exceed 130% of the federal poverty guideline but, in fact, most food stamp households have incomes well below the maximum allowed

December 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a third defendant connected to a mortgage fraud scheme was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik to spend 20 months in federal prison.

December 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HUD officially published the regulations for the new Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program in today’s Federal Register. The regulations will go into effect in 30 days, on January 4. Public comments will be due in 60 days, on February 3. The final regulation on defining “homeless” was also officially published in the Federal Register today, and those changes will also go into effect on January 4.

PITTSBURGH, PA - November 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A resident of Blairsville, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 41 months in prison on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Harrisburg, PA - November 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s designation of Allentown-based AFC First Financial Corporation as a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR sponsor means Pennsylvania families that pursue money-saving home energy-efficiency improvements through the Keystone Home Energy Loan Program will benefit from higher standards, State Treasurer Rob McCord said today.

Harrisburg, PA - November 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Pennsylvania Treasury holds more than $315,000 in unclaimed property that belongs to veterans, active duty personnel, and military support organizations, and State Treasurer Rob McCord wants to help return this property to its rightful owners.

Philadelphia, PA - November 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Veteran’s Day was celebrated by Congressman Bob Brady (D., PA) at the dedication of the brand new Robert G. Brady Veterans Center at the HELP Philadelphia Homes, in Southwest Philadelphia.

HARRISBURG, PA - November 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Outreach teams currently providing storm-damage repair and rebuilding advice in Lancaster, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties will continue doing so for another week.

HARRISBURG - November 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Stephen E. Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) announced today that Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now accepting applications for cash grants and crisis grants.

WASHINGTON, DC - October 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is charging a Philadelphia condominium association with violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to revise its “no pets” policy as a reasonable accommodation for condominium residents with disabilities who required assistance animals. HUD's charge alleges that The Philadelphian Owners' Association (POA), which manages the 776-unit Philadelphian condominium complex, requiredthat residents provide burdensome and invasive medical documentation before requests for accommodation would be considered, severely limited access to the complex's facilities for residents accompanied by assistance animals, and failed to address several instances of harassment of residents requiring assistance animals.

HARRISBURG, PA - October 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency today announced that it exceeded its $105 million allocation from the federal government through the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program by approximately $3 million.

WASHINGTON, DC - September 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following Tropical Storm Lee.

Philadelphia, PA - September 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Negotiations for a new union contract covering more than 2,600 property service workers in Philadelphia began on Friday between 32BJ and representatives of the real estate industry. 32BJ presented its contract proposals to leaders of Building Owners Labor Relations, Inc. (BOLR), an organization representing Philadelphia’s major commercial office building owners, managers, and cleaning companies such as ABM Industries, Inc., The Arthur Jackson Company, and Shellville Facility Services

HARRISBURG, PA - September 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is encouraging homeowners in danger of foreclosure to contact an approved counseling agency and submit their applications for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program on or before Friday, Sept. 16 to allow adequate time for processing.

Harrisburg, PA - August 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania is a statewide membership organization working to increase the availability of homes within reach of all Pennsylvanians, especially those with low incomes. Our members include nonprofit and for profit developers, social service and homeless providers, housing counselors, local government officials, lawyers, bankers, real estate professionals, and people in need of affordable homes. We are all working to balance the housing market so that supply more closely matches the demand for affordable homes.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged the owner and manager of Breckenridge Plaza Apartments in Phoenixville, PA, with violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children. Breckenridge Plaza, Inc., and Morris Zelikovsky were charged with making discriminatory statements, including in advertisements on craigslist.org, indicating a preference against families with children, offering different rental terms and conditions to families with children, and discouraging families with children from applying for housing.

HARRISBURG, PA - July 15, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The board of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency yesterday conditionally approved $11.2 million in funding and approximately $30 million in tax credits for the construction of affordable multifamily housing developments located throughout Pennsylvania.