http://www.knowledgeplex.org A comprehensive news and information resource for the affordable housing and community development field. Powered by Fannie Mae Foundation. en-us Copyright 2008, KnowledgePlex 2008-08-20T11:45-04:00 feedback@knowledgeplex.org, info@knowledgeplex.org http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2171721.html To Margaret and Keith Melillo, the letter from Law & Associates looked like it came on behalf of their mortgage lender. It had their mortgage account number. The sender knew the Melillos were delinquent on their home payments. And under one urgent heading in all capitals — "WHAT YOU NEED TO DO" — were instructions to call an 800 number within 72 hours if the couple wanted ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2175631.html How the city will raise the money isn't clear, but the City Council on Monday approved an ambitious $567 million plan to transform Seattle Center into the nation's best gathering place. Over two decades, the site of the 1962 World's Fair would be transformed to include a new Memorial Stadium covering a vast underground parking garage, a renovated glass-enclosed Center House to draw ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2175581.html Orange County supervisors Tuesday approved a plan to give control of 1,200 acres of open space to a land trust backed by a developer that supports building a six-lane toll road through the property. The developer, Rancho Mission Viejo, says it plans to add the land to its own 17,000-acre open space preserve and maintain it as undeveloped land. The land was originally set aside as part of an earlier ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2173171.html The housing bill signed by President Bush on July 30 raises the amount seniors can borrow using federally backed reverse mortgages and lowers the cost of getting the cash. But aging experts say you should still be cautious before spending down your home equity. Here's how the new law affects reverse mortgages and what you still need to be wary of. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2175311.html Aug. 18—With their biggest construction project nearly finished, Eugene developers Wally Graff and Nathan Philips went looking for a new challenge. Boy, did they find one. Two weeks ago, the Eugene City Council picked Graff and Philips to redevelop the empty city-owned half block on West 10th Avenue, across the street from the public library. City leaders hope Philips and Graff will transform ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2175181.html In 40 years, if San Jose becomes more multicultural, youth friendly and "green," that would be ideal. This sort of optimism is exactly what a group of high school students from Silicon Valley portrayed in their exhibit, "Urban Design and the Next Generation." The exhibit is at the Montalvo Arts Center's Project Space, 15400 Montalvo Road, and runs through Sept. 29. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2176231.html Byline: Brian Lee SOUTHBRIDGE - Wendy McFarland is a Southbridge Interfaith Hospitality Network board member, the same program that put a roof over her and her two children's heads six years ago. Ms. McFarland, now a paralegal and a real estate agent, discussed how the program helped her defeat homelessness during a recent planning meeting for SIHN's major fundraiser, which is next month ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2176181.html Investors say a U.S. Treasury move to bail out two huge government-sponsored mortgage lenders is only a matter of time. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2168371.html The leaders who help homeless people in Pierce County have reworked their approach. Over the past three years, they have worked toward the Bush administration's goal of eliminating homelessness, in part by getting people into housing, then getting them the counseling and support they need to stay. They are getting out of the enabling business, and on to rebuilding lives. Now they have a plan ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2171151.html The rising cost of gasoline and the bursting of the ''housing bubble'' make these troubling economic times. There is a group among us, however, whose housing bubble burst a long time ago. Each night, some 100,000 or more of our brothers and sisters in Alabama don't have a safe or decent place to lay their heads or a bed to tuck in their children for the night. They live in homeless ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2166341.html Los Angeles could lose thousands of affordable apartments in the next five years, as contracts that require building owners to rent to low-income tenants expire on more than 14,000 units. City housing officials can't predict how many units ultimately will be converted to higher rents or how many poor renters could be displaced - a lot depends on the housing market, the availability of public ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2165631.html LIVONIA, Mich., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Valassis(NYSE:VCI), one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, has entered into a partnership with the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC), a nonprofit agency, to provide resources to further rebuild New Orleans. Valassis will provide database services that track household population growth at the ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2170181.html The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development issued the following press release: They are extremely low-income, living with HIV/AIDS and at high risk of homelessness. Today, more than 1,100 persons and their families will find a stable home, and receive the services they need to manage their illnesses, because of $19.3 million in grants awarded by Housing and Urban Development Secretary ... http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2168221.html Aug. 15—MERCER, Pa. — Mercer County Commissioners awarded $194,800 from the county's Affordable Housing Fund to two local projects Thursday. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2168541.html SAN DIEGO Southern California home sales surged to a 16-month high in July as prices kept falling and bargain-hunters snapped up foreclosed properties, a research firm said Monday.