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Taylor, MI - January 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI12) released the statement below following the cancellation of last weekend’s Housing Choice Voucher Application event in Taylor due to a larger-than-expected crowd.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Calling for an end to America’s military involvement in Afghanistan, Minnesota’s Eighth District Congressman Rick Nolan said today, “It’s time to stop building infrastructure in Afghanistan and start rebuilding America.” President Obama and many others including Nolan have repeatedly called for significant new investments to repair and rebuild America’s aging infrastructure.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) this week introduced the Common Sense Housing Investment Act (H.R. 6677) to make it easier for middle class and working families to be able to stay in their homes and find affordable rental housing. The bill realigns the mortgage interest deduction to better benefit families who need it most by converting the deduction to a 20% flat rate tax credit on mortgages up to $500,000. The bill strengthens the tax benefits for homeowners, while giving working families better access to rental homes

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 14, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today released a statement on the decline in the number of homeless veterans. According to a new report released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the number of homeless veterans in the U.S. dropped by seven percent this year. Klobuchar recently passed legislation to help fight homelessness among veterans. The Helping Our Homeless Veterans Act improves homeless services outreach to rural and underserved urban veterans. Specifically, it strengthens an existing program that provides chronically homeless veterans with housing vouchers and case management services, such as help accessing counseling and job training.

CHICAGO, IL - November 30, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging the homeowner association and property managers for an Edina, MN, condominium building with housing discrimination. HUD claims that they refused to allow children under the age of 18 to live at the property.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - May 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Active Network, a leader in online registration and event management software that helps businesses automate and simplify operations, management and participation, has doubled its office space at 370 Lexington Avenue, lifting the total to more than 6,300 square feet, reports Sherwood Equities, the landlord.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging the owners and manager of Rainbow Terrace Mobile Home Park in Albert Lea, Minnesota, with violating the Fair Housing Act by making discriminatory statements about the national origin of a Mexican American couple that was trying to lease a park lot. HUD’s charge alleges that the park’s manager stated that she did "not want any more Mexicans" living at the mobile home park because they were "too much trouble" or similar words to that effect. The manager also allegedly told the wife that her husband was “no good” and referred to him with an ethnic slur for people who are Mexican or Mexican-American.

MINNEAPOLIS - August 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Yesterday in federal court, two mortgage loan officers pleaded guilty to recruiting straw buyers to purchase properties at inflated prices and then distributing the excess loan funds among themselves, the straw buyers, and others involved in the scheme. Chad Arthur Anderson, age 38, and Troy Allen Huston, age 42, both of Chisago City, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud through the use of interstate wires. The two were indicted on April 3, 2012, and entered their pleas before United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen.

Washington, D.C. - August 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar announced that her bipartisan legislation to help fight homelessness among America’s veterans has passed the House and Senate and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Klobuchar obtained 18 Democratic and Republican cosponsors for the bill in the Senate. The legislation improves homeless services outreach to rural and underserved urban veterans. Specifically, it strengthens an existing program that provides chronically homeless veterans with housing vouchers and case management services, such as help accessing counseling and job training.

Chicago, IL - July 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an agreement with Park Nicollet Health Services to resolve allegations of Clean Air Act violations at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. EPA alleged the company failed to keep required records and submit required reports on emissions from ethylene oxide sterilizers at the hospital. After being notified of the violations, the company took steps to meet all requirements.

MINNEAPOLIS - July 16, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal indictment recently unsealed charges an Inver Grove Heights man in connection with soliciting buyers to purchase properties at inflated prices in a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud scheme. On July 11, 2012, Christopher Jon Andrews, age 53, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mortgage fraud through interstate wire, and three counts of mortgage fraud through mail. The indictment, which was filed on July 10, 2012, was unsealed following Andrews’s initial appearance in federal court.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 10, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Minnesota and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to severe storms and flooding last month.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - April 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today in federal court, a 37-year-old Savage man was sentenced for participating in a $13 million mortgage fraud scheme that involved no fewer than 25 properties in Prior Lake, Savage, and Minnetonka, among other Minnesota communities. United States District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced Ericvan Anthony McDavid to 45 months on one count of wire fraud. He was indicted, along with two co-defendants, on June 15, 2010 and pleaded guilty on January 26, 2011.

February 14, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Community Neighborhood Housing Services and BankCherokee were awarded $159,000 to rehabilitate 30 homes and help struggling homeowners with home repairs, including roof replacement, structural repairs or landscaping and energy efficiency improvements with $5,000 in forgivable, no-payment loans.

St. Paul, MN - February 13, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congresswoman Betty McCollum announced that St. Paul neighborhoods recieved $459,000 in housing grants through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The funds will be used to rehabilitate and construct homes which will not only provide safe and decent housing, but also invigorate the local economy as construction and rehabilitation work begins.