As the Federal Housing Administration looks for new ways of dealing with the nation's foreclosed homes, more voices are calling for those homes to be repurposed as rentals.
"A foreclosed home is a problem for the neighbors, the bank that owns it, certainly the family that lost it -- but it's a problem for the rest of us, too. Banks price them at rock-bottom to get rid of them, and that depresses prices for the whole market. The government, through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration -- own hundreds of thousands of foreclosed homes."
Officials are trying to find ways to entice banks into renting out those foreclosures.
Read the full story: Plan would turn foreclosures into rentals
August Expiration Date for Federal Foreclosure Moratorium Raises Concerns
The housing market has yet to devolve like in 2008, thanks to a federal safety net put in place in March, but a wave of foreclosures is still a possibility as protections begin to expire.
Squamish Nation Plans 6,000-Unit Development in Vancouver
The residential development in Vancouver, located on Squamish Nation land, will be significantly larger than what was initially planned.
Research: Low-Cost Rental Housing Disappears While Rental Stock Grows
There are more rental units in the United States than ever, but fewer of them are available at low cost, so there are more cost-burdened renters than ever, according to new research.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Buses travel at 5mph along this route in NYC. The Bronx's first-ever busway looks to change that
Prior to the busway, buses on the Bx36 route traveled as slowly as 5 miles per hour.
Pittsburg launches 'EZ permits,' aims for one-day turnaround for low-risk permits
The pilot ‘fast lane’ for permits is part of a bundle of modernization efforts for Pittsburg’s permitting process.
Eating, littering on Singapore buses now a fineable offense
Passengers who put other riders in danger may be charged thousands of Singapore dollars.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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