Yearly Archives: 2010

WASHINGTON, DC - June 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced $6,641,523 in funding for four Michigan projects supporting advanced energy-efficient building technologies. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The projects will be executed in Midland, West Olive and Benton Harbor.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., announced $6,641,523 in funding for four Michigan projects supporting advanced energy-efficient building technologies. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The projects will be executed in Midland, West Olive and Benton Harbor

Washington, DC - June 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mark Schauer (D-MI) announced his support of the Home Office Deduction Simplification Act, a bill to streamline taxes for small business owners who utilize a home office. This legislation would help Michigan’s 648,426 self-employed business owners save an additional $1,500 on their taxes next year and significantly minimize the paperwork and time spent on tax preparation. It would also require that the amount of the standard deduction be indexed for inflation.

Grand Rapids, MI - June 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- If there is one other factor, apart from the usually high price involved, that discourages an individual from buying a property is the fear of being duped. Being duped into buying a property worth less than what is the offer price, property with not too clear titles and so on. One is never sure, if they made the right purchase, if they have considered all the alternatives and if they could buy it for a lesser price. Real estate agents can’t be trusted blindly, since they act for seller of property as well and they are keen on making a sale, buyers’ interests be damned.

June 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- EcoGreenHotel is pleased to announce that Mark R. Hahn has been appointed Vice President of Energy Solutions. Mr. Hahn will be responsible for providing comprehensive energy efficient solutions to the hospitality industry, expanding EcoGreenHotel's growing portfolio of clients who have reduced their energy use and operating cost

WASHINGTON, DC - May 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced introduction of legislation that will create jobs in Michigan while helping homeowners make their residences more energy efficient. Senator Stabenow is an original co-sponsor of the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, authored by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). The program provides rebates and tax credits on the labor and material costs of upgrading homes, modeling the successful Cash for Clunkers program Stabenow authored.

LANSING, MI - May 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Executive Director Keith Molin proudly announced today that members of the Michigan Individual Development Account Partnership (MIDAP) have been awarded $514,822 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. MIDAP is a collaborative managed by the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) with major funding support from MSHDA. The grants, awarded annually to organizations nationwide, totaled $1.8 million and MIDAP received five of the nine grants awarded in the most recent round

LANSING, MI - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) recently announced that Executive Director Keith Molin and Public Policy and Market Research Director Gary Heidel both were awarded high honors within the affordable housing and community development industry. Molin and Heidel were cited with their awards at the 2010 Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing. This year the conference theme was Rebuilding Michigan Together and the awards received commemorate that theme.

Washington, DC - May 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) voted to boost the American clean energy economy, reducing our dependence on oil from hostile nations, and saving American families $9 billion over 10 years. The Home Star Jobs Bill would provide rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving products and reduce energy use in their homes. Home Star is expected to allow 3 million families to retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient

Washington D.C. - May 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The House of Representatives approved legislation to provide rebates and loans for home energy efficiency improvements. The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act passed by a bipartisan vote of 246 to 161. The legislation must now be considered by the US Senate.“Utility bills are the second highest cost of home ownership today, exceeded only by the mortgage payment. The Home Star bill will lower homeowners’ monthly utility bills and also create jobs, stimulate domestic manufacturing, and strengthen U.S. energy security,” said Rep. Levin. “Providing up-front rebates to consumers to increase their homes’ energy efficiency is one of the most effective steps we can take to create jobs, save energy, and help homeowners save money.”

WASHINGTON, DC - May 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that will provide rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving products and reduce energy costs in their homes, while also creating an estimated 168,000 construction, manufacturing and retail jobs in the United States. U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) voted in favor of H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which had bipartisan support in the House

May 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) Director Stanley "Skip” Pruss today announced the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has cited GRL Properties, LLC, of Grand Rapids, with $115,000 in proposed penalties for allegedly failing to adequately protect employees and the general public from serious asbestos hazards at the John Bean Building in Lansing

WASHINGTON, DC - April 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force met in Detroit today for the third of a series of Mortgage Fraud Summits. The task force, established by President Barack Obama in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, is composed of representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI www.hud.gov/news/ The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today presented over $1.1 million to five fair housing organizations to help fight housing discrimination in Michigan. John Trasviña, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, made the grant presentations to Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan, Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, and Fair Housing Center of West Michigan (see attached list below for project descriptions)

WASHINGTON, DC - April 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced today that the state has been awarded $30 million for the Michigan Retrofit Ramp-Up Initiative (MRRI). The funding comes from the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.