Obama Administration Announces State and Local Housing Initiatives
National Mortgage Professional, October 19
(RECAP: As part of its comprehensive plan to stabilize the U.S. housing market, the Obama Administration has announced a new initiative for state and local housing finance agencies (HFAs) that will help support low mortgage rates and expand resources for low and middle income borrowers to purchase or rent homes that are affordable over the long term.)

 

U.S. Launches Aid For State, Local Housing Agencies
Reuters, October 19
(RECAP: The Obama administration on Monday launched a program to help the depressed U.S. housing market by effectively allowing state and local housing finance agencies to borrow from the U.S. Treasury.)

 

Va. Beach Winter Shelter Program Opens This Week
The Virginian-Pilot, October 19
(RECAP:) Year-round, homeless people in the city have some options for shelter, including the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center and the Samaritan House. The winter shelter program, which takes about 60 adults a night, will open on Wednesday and run for 24 weeks. But demand outpaces supply and is increasing.)

 

County Mulls Once 'Unthinkable' Cuts
Charlottesville Daily Progress, October 17
(RECAP: The ailing economy has Albemarle County officials contemplating once "unthinkable" financial adjustments that could include a real-estate tax rate increase, employee reductions and delays or reductions in infrastructure projects.)

 

$75,000 Grant to Subsidize City Living for Police Officers
Charlottesville Daily Progress, October 17
(RECAP: The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation on Friday announced a $75,000 Catalyst Grant to help city police officers find housing in Charlottesville .)

 

Kincora Hearing Draws Few Speakers, but Concerns Remain
Leesburg Today, October 16
(RECAP: What could be one of the biggest land use decisions of this Board of Supervisors' term drew only a few speakers during its first public review at the Planning Commission public hearing last night.)

Virginia Housing Development Authority Offers to Purchase for Cash Certain of Its Outstanding Bonds
PR Newswire, October 16
(RECAP: VHDA announced that it is offering to purchase for cash certain of its outstanding Commonwealth Mortgage Bonds upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in VHDA's Invitation to Bondholders dated October 16, 2009. )

 

HUD Awards $2.4 million in Housing Counseling Grants to 22 Housing Counseling Organizations in Virginia
RealEstateRama, October 16
(RECAP: Virginia families facing foreclosure, seeking affordable rental housing, or hoping to buy their first home will have a greater opportunity to find housing, or keep the homes they have, because of $2.4 million in housing counseling grants announced today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. )

 

RRHA Sets Open House at Randolph Model Home
Richmond Times Dispatch, October 16
(RECAP: The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority hosted a fall open house at a model home in the Randolph community. )

 

Local Senior Citizens Look for Clarity on Housing
Daily Herald, October 15
(RECAP: When Eunice Smith of Woodbury Apartments saw her rent increase, she didn't understand it. She moved from a two-bedroom unit in subsidized housing to a single bedroom unit and yet was paying more money than she had previously. Again, she didn't understand why.)

 

Mixed-Use, Affordable Apartment Community Breaks Ground in Clarendon's Urban Village

Earth Times, October 15

(RECAP: The Views at Clarendon Corporation announced construction will commence in November 2009 on the Views at Clarendon, a mixed-use, mixed-income development that marks a significant step in addressing Arlington , Virginia 's affordable housing shortage.)

 

VHDA Launches Debt Program for Affordable Deals
GlobeSt.com, October 15
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Development Authority has closed one deal under a tax-exempt bond financing program that is designed to recapitalize affordable housing that needs capital improvements. Foulger-Pratt's $26-million acquisition of the Fields at Landmark was financed through the program.)

 

Bozzuto Group Breaks Ground on The Views at Clarendon in Arlington County
Washington Business Journal, October 15
(RECAP: Bozzuto Development Company and Chesapeake Community Advisors will finally break ground Saturday on The Views at Clarendon in Arlington . The $40 million development will include 46 market-rate apartments and 70 affordable rental units that will be a mix of studios, one, two and three-bedrooms.)

 

Politics and Proffers
Bacon's Rebellion, October 14
(RECAP: Recently, the proffer system and its perceived strengths and weaknesses have been the source of much discussion. While the majority of the discussion has centered on cash proffers and specified non-cash contributions, the proffer system goes further and can actually force choices on consumers, contribute to sprawl, drive up the cost of housing and distort market choices in what should be a free market.)

 

Foreclosures Taper Off, but Effects Could Linger
Daily Press, October 14
(RECAP: The number of Peninsula-area properties dealt foreclosure-related filings tapered off by 8.3 percent between the second and third quarters. But the foreclosure wave sweeping the nation isn't expected to end any time soon. James V. Koch, Old Dominion University president emeritus and an economics professor, predicts foreclosures to continue into 2011, when maturing adjustable-rate mortgages are expected to peak locally. )

 

AHC Opens Affordable Condominium Project in Arlington County
Washington Business Journal, October 14
(RECAP: Arlington 's "it" affordable housing developer, AHC, Inc. has delivered a 10-unit condominium building in Nauck - the largest affordable homeownership project in the county in over 4 years.)

 

Hampton Roads' Legislators Tackle Mortgage Scams
Daily Press, October 13
(RECAP: As the housing crisis ripples through the economy and panicked homeowners face foreclosure, one advocacy group in Virginia is seeing an ominous rise in scam artists. Now state lawmakers in Hampton Roads are taking aim.)

 

Graduates Students' Needs in Housing Must be Priority
Virginia Tech Collegiate Times Online Edition, October 13  
(RECAP: As a master's student and member of the Graduate Student Assembly, I care a great deal about the maintenance of a thriving graduate community at Virginia Tech. One of the most important things that can be done to continue the great work that has made the graduate student population so vital for this institution is to provide more appropriate housing opportunities.)

Mentally Disabled Deserve Dignity
The Daily News-Record, October 12
(RECAP: While the New Market town council recognizes the rights of people with disabilities to live in the community of their choice, residents of the Pleasant View subdivision continue to voice their opposition.) 

 

Housing for Homeless Project Faces Financial Hurdles in City
Charlottesville Daily Progress, October 11
(RECAP: Charlottesville 's planned housing for homeless people is facing a funding dilemma. Setting aside federal Housing Choice vouchers that are seen as key to building the city's first studio apartment-style facility for the region's homeless is proving to be an arduous task, officials say.)

 

Home Sales, Prices Up Across Northern Virginia in September
Sun Gazette Newspaper, October 11
(RECAP: Home sales, average sales prices and median prices across Northern Virginia in September all posted gains from a year before, while the average number of days homes spent on the market was down, and the average sales price was a larger percentage of original listing price.)

 

Inventory Remains High; Prices Down
Charlottesville Daily Progress, October 9
(RECAP: Home sales this year in Charlottesville have fallen by more than 27 percent from the same period in 2008, and average median prices for homes sold across Central Virginia have dropped about 20 percent, according to a new Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors market report. )

 

Real Estate Market Looking Up
Ashburn Connection, October 8
(RECAP: This year, 970 foreclosures have been filed through August, and the anticipated drop from the recent two years has Realtors looking forward with hope that the local market may be bottoming out and likely to start showing significant improvement relatively soon.)

 

No Homes on Church Property
Greene County Record , October 8
(RECAP: A plan to bring affordable senior housing to Stanardsville has been aborted due to a breakdown in communication between Grace Episcopal Church, the town council and the Jefferson Area Board for Aging.)