BRIEF BRIEFS
Vice President Biden, HUD Secretary Donovan and Energy Secretary Chu announce formation of "high level interagency task force to coordinate weatherization efforts" funded by the Stimulus Bill and "to leverage those funds to build a home energy efficiency industry in the U.S.". . .“Each dollar our agency invests in housing creates $11 in benefit to the Oregon economy,” says Oregon Housing & Community Services’ Victor Merced. . .Boise’s CATCH homeless program wins National League of Cities award of excellence. .Bellingham Herald says Northwest Indian College, a past recipient of HUD university program funds, says it will award its first 4-year degrees this spring. . .Fast Company says Independence Station – a 57,000 square-foot building being built in Independence – appears “on track” to “receive highest LEED rating ever” and displace a complex in British Columbia as “greenest building in the world”. . .Intercommunity Mercy Housing breaks ground for HUD-funded, 73-unit, $8.2 million senior housing complex in Tacoma. . .News Miner reports that Fairbanks Habitat for Humanity is on schedule to complete its “lucky 13” house. . .Saying that “the end of the housing bubble and a wave of foreclosures have underscored the importance of affordable rental housing,” MacArthur Foundation President Jonathan Fanton announces the award of $9.5 million in grants and $23 million in low-interest loans to projects in 12 states, including the expansion of the Oregon Housing Acquisition Fund and development of an asset management program for nonprofit organizations by Washington State and Seattle. . .King County Housing Authority purchases 32-unit Pacific Court Apartments in Tukwila to provide supportive housing for "chronically homeless individuals with serious mental illness. . .Umpqua Bank says its staff contributed almost 26,000 hours of community service in 2008. . .Keith Nelson of Executive Real Estate Inc. in Bellevue elected President of Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS. . .North Columbia Community Action Council’s Prosperity Center celebrates graduation of first 16 future entrepreneurs from its new, six-week “Starting Your Own Business” workshop. . .The Olympian says head of Sandpoint’s Intermountain Community Bancorp “plans to travel” to southern Idaho to look for ways it can “do things that matter” with its $27 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program or TARP funds. . .Washington Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation sets March 5th deadline for nominations for 19th annual awards for outstanding achievements in historic preservation. . . HUD awards $500,000 emergency capital repair grant to 302-unit Four Freedoms House in Seattle to replace its almost 50-year old plumbing system and two hot water storage tanks. . .Hood River News says City Council agrees to sign “general letter of support” for Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation’s efforts to secure low income tax credits to develop 40 units of affordable housing. . .BizJournal ranks Seattle as 3rd, Boise as 5th and Portland as 11th best of 100 cities in which to start a small business "in these turbulent times".
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm and is filed under goverment.
