Yearly Archives: 2010

Washington, D.C. - May 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (MN-06) took to the House floor in support of her amendment to H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. Rep. Bachmann’s amendment passed unanimously by voice vote with strong Democratic support leading up to the vote. Her amendment requires the Inspector General of the Department of Energy to submit a report to Congress measuring the amount of waste, fraud, and abuse occurring in programs created by H.R. 5019 and recommendations to prevent them from occurring again.

May 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 49-year-old Fridley man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis to defrauding eight mortgage lenders of $1.9 million. Appearing before United States District Court Judge David S. Doty earlier today, Taleb Mohamed Wazwaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud through the use of interstate wires. Wazwaz was charged via an Information on April 19, 2010.

April 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Troy David Chaika, age 43, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Minneapolis for conspiring with others to bilk mortgage lenders out of more than $43 million by making materially false representations and concealing material information. The indictment, originally filed in U.S. District Court on April 12, was unsealed today following Chaika’s initial appearance in federal court. Specific charges include seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud

April 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two Prior Lake men and a man from California were charged in a federal indictment unsealed today in the District of Minnesota. The indictment, originally filed with the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on April 21, 2010, alleges that Beau Wesley Gensmer, age 28, and Christopher Glenn Kennedy, age 30, both of Prior Lake, along with Cameron Roland Baird, age 29, of Los Altos, California, orchestrated a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders out of $3.1 million by causing mortgage loans to be funded based on false information. Specifically, each defendant was charged with 15 counts of wire fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and two counts of engaging in a monetary transaction derived from unlawful activity.

Washington, D.C - April 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the Flexible Licensing Compliance for Nonprofit Housing Employees Act of 2010. This legislation would extend the time nonprofit housing employees have to comply with mortgage loan origination licensing requirements set forth in the Secure and Fair Enforcement Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 ("SAFE Act") to January 1, 2011.

Washington, D.C. - April 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-5th Congressional District) recently received the 2010 Edward W. Brooke III Housing Leadership Award from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) for advancing the cause of affordable housing.

March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the quickly receding snow cover exposing last year’s leaves and other dead vegetation, yard clean-up isn’t far behind. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds homeowners that spring is fire season, and to think safety first when disposing of yard waste

ST. PAUL, MN - February 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded nine grants totaling more than $3.6 million to help pay for improvements for housing and infrastructure in Greater Minnesota.

January 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A weatherization program that created jobs while it made homes more energy-efficient worked in Minnesota – and can be one model for successful programs in other states

Washington, D.C. - January 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) will join Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity at a Subcommittee field hearing entitled, “The Impact of the Foreclosure Crisis on Public and Affordable Housing in the Twin Cities.” The hearing will examine the foreclosure crisis and its negative impact on the affordable rental housing market