Yearly Archives: 2010

Des Moines, IA - December 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Communities throughout the state of Minnesota were recently awarded $5.0 million in affordable housing grants through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The 15 projects slated for completion with these grants will create 545 homes for lower income families. In total, FHLB Des Moines awarded $16.4 million to 57 projects.

ST. PAUL, MN - December 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety urges everyone to check gas meters on their homes and other buildings to be sure they stay free of ice and snow accumulation that can block the regulator vent.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - December 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United Properties’ Applewood Pointe is ending 2010 with two events of note: it received Minneapolis City Council final approval Dec. 20 for a 106-unit senior cooperative on the site of the former Northrop Elementary School in Minneapolis, and it broke ground Dec. 15 on 48-unit Applewood Pointe Roseville at Langton Lake in Roseville, Minn.

ST. PAUL, MN - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security (OEs) today announced Minnesota will receive an additional $21.6 million in federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP). When added to the $64.8 million in federal funds already received by the state, this allocation brings the total for the current heating season to $86.4 million.

December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two mortgage brokers and one real estate appraiser were indicted yesterday in federal court in St. Paul for allegedly orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme in which they induced lenders to loan more than $1 million to purchasers to buy properties at inflated prices. The excess money was then shared among those involved in the scheme.

ST. PAUL, MN - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Contractors this week will begin inspecting the condition of decorative stonework along the roofline of the State Capitol building. As a safety measure, workers will install protective covering at building entrances and place barricades along several adjacent walkways.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Exact Software has signed a seven-year lease for 12,895 sq. ft. at Northland Center, located at 3600 American Blvd. in Bloomington, Minn. United Properties, owner of the office center, was represented by Bill Rothstein, NorthMarq senior vice president. Exact Software was represented by Brad Bohlman of Welsh Companies. This new lease brings the building’s occupancy to 93 percent.

November 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson today filed lawsuits against two out-of-state companies that charged Minnesota homeowners up to $3,500 in unlawful fees to help them renegotiate their home mortgages. In both cases, the companies used the threat of prevalent mortgage modification assistance scams to convince homeowners to pay money to their companies. In the midst of the ongoing housing crisis, the Attorney General warned citizens not to pay advance fees to firms for mortgage help

Saint Paul, MN - November 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Property tax levies will increase an average of 2.6 percent statewide if proposed local tax levies are adopted later this year, the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced today. This compares to last year’s 3.1 percent increase and an average change of 5.3 percent over the past three years

November 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The second of two Prior Lake men was sentenced earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis for his role in a scheme that defrauded mortgage lenders out of more than $2.5 million by causing them to make loans based on false information. United States District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Christopher Glenn Kennedy, age 31, to 48 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to that crime. On November 10, 2010, Judge Doty sentenced Beau Wesley Gensmer, age 29, to 36 months in prison on the same charges. Both men were indicted on April 21, 2010, and pleaded guilty in August of 2010. A third co-defendant has pleaded guilty in the case and awaits sentencing.

November 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today, the last two of five defendants connected to a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme appeared in federal court in Minneapolis to plead guilty to charges in connection to that crime.

Minneapolis, MN - November 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (Minneapolis) today announced that he will introduce the Rental Housing Revitalization Act (RHRA), legislation to address the nation’s public housing infrastructure crisis. Ellison worked closely with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan as well as housing advocates to write legislation to preserve our nation’s public housing. The RHRA is designed to restore the country’s deteriorating public housing infrastructure, simplify rental assistance programs, provide greater choice to renters, and give taxpayers more for their money.

ST. PAUL, MN - October 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security (OES) today announced the state will soon receive its first installment of federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP).In its first release of funds for the 2011 program year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds LIHEAP, has allocated $64.8 million to Minnesota. Additional funds will be disbursed to the state throughout the program year.

October 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 46-year-old Golden Valley man pled guilty earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis to orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of more than $2.5 million from lenders nationally. The scheme centered on obtaining fraudulent loans for the purchase of 24 homes in the Twin Cities. Appearing before United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen, Zack Zafer Dyab pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to the crime. Dyab was indicted along with Julia Alexander Rozhansky, age 46, of Minnetonka, on December 8, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC - October 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to 21 counties in Minnesota and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms and flooding last month.