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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.

October 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 61-year-old Alexandria man was sentenced earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis on charges connected to a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders and others out of more than $800,000. United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced Dale Charles Dodge, Jr., to 34 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction with property derived from unlawful activity, commonly referred to as money laundering. Dodge was indicted on September 15, 2009, and pled guilty on May 12, 2010.

Washington, DC - September 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Rep. Tim Walz (MN-01) and Rep. John Boozman (AR-3) introduced bipartisan legislation to help prevent veterans with VA home loans from becoming homeless due to foreclosure. The legislation mandates that the VA notify its homelessness case managers within seven days of a VA home loan going into default and that the case manager assigned put in place a plan to prevent the veteran from subsequently becoming homeless due to the foreclosure.The Veterans’ Homelessness Prevention and Early Warning Act of 2010 preemptively addresses homelessness amongst Americans veterans. VA-backed home loans, like the larger housing industry, have seen a steady increase in the foreclosure rate over the last three years. In 2007, 8,113 foreclosures of VA loans were completed. In 2009, that number had risen to 15,145

BURNSVILLE, MN - September 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman John Kline announced that Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, and Scott Counties are among the 35 Minnesota counties being assessed for flood damage. Homeowners or renters who suffered flood damage are encouraged to report the damage to their local officials so it can be included in the assessments.

Minneapolis, MN - September 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison announced today that the City of Minneapolis has won an additional $2.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties in neighborhoods impacted by foreclosure, as part of the third round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP3) funds

September 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 31-year-old part owner of Legacy Lending was sentenced yesterday in federal court in St. Paul for participating in a mortgage fraud scheme that involved 37 separate real estate transactions and $20 million in loan proceeds. United States District Court Judge Richard H. Kyle sentenced Thomas John Hunter, of Maple Grove, to 40 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to the crime. He also was ordered to pay $228,711.43 in restitution. Hunter was charged on January 26, 2010, and pleaded guilty on March 2, 2010

Mankato, MI - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki joined Congressman Tim Walz today in Mankato to tour facilities dedicated to rural veterans’ health care and homelessness prevention. The Secretary and Congressman heard from veterans about the need to build upon existing VA services and further expand health care in rural areas. The tour began at the VA’s Mankato Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which currently does not provide primary health care services to area veterans. The VA is in the midst of the contracting process to expand the CBOC to include these much-needed services. The tour concluded with a stop at the Radichel Townhomes in Mankato. The townhomes are long-term supportive housing for disabled homeless veterans constructed and managed by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MAC-V)

St. Paul, MI - August 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- For the first time at the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair, an interactive Energy Star house will guide visitors through simple, everyday ways they can cut their own energy use.

August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Two Prior Lake men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis for their roles in a scheme that defrauded mortgage lenders out of more than $2.5 million by causing them to make loans based on false information. Appearing before United States District Court Judge David S. Doty earlier today, Beau Wesley Gensmer, age 28, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to that crime. Christopher Glenn Kennedy, age 31, pleaded guilty to the same charges on August 6, 2010. Gensmer and Kennedy were indicted on April 21, 2010. A third co-defendant pleaded guilty earlier in the case.

ST. PAUL, MN - July 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Minnesota Department of Commerce has taken action against two out-of-state loan modification companies for operating in Minnesota without a license and allegedly engaging in deceptive practices. "These two cases are just further examples of why we encourage all consumers to exercise caution when making decisions related to their financial situations," says Manny Munson-Regala, Deputy Commissioner of Market Assurance. So far this year, the department has taken more than 50 enforcement actions against mortgage-related businesses, helping to ensure Minnesota consumers are protected from irresponsible and deceitful practices.

ST. PAUL, MN - June 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Saving money on energy may be easier than Minnesotans think. A new study commissioned by the Minnesota Department of Commerce's Office of Energy Security (OES) found that five minutes spent changing a simple computer setting could save the average Minnesota family $120 per year on its electricity bill. The savings can be achieved simply by putting a computer to sleep when inactive.

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.