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Legislative Update!!!!

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Washington Realtors® 2010 Legislative Day and the powerful presence of more than 600 Realtors® brought our clear message to legislators in Olympia that real estate is critical to the overall economic recovery. Considering the state’s fiscal challenges, Realtors® significant legislative accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable.
Realtors® Top Legislative Priorities:
1. Real Estate Leads Economic Recovery
On Legislative Hill Day, a record 607 Realtors® hand-carried our message to each member of the Legislature. Our preemptive efforts along with the vigilant work of our Government Affairs committees, the constant presence of Realtors® on the hill, well thought-out advocacy tools, the work of our Key Contacts, strategic lobbying and the unprecedented support of our members were critical to our many victories.
“Great Job Getting the Message Heard”
While threats of a sales tax on services or an increase in the real estate excise tax did not materialize, Realtors® fought an increase in the B&O tax throughout the session. The Senate was first to propose a tax package and it had no direct taxes on the real estate industry. As rumors of an increase in the B&O tax in the House revenue package surfaced, Realtors® were prepared with an all-member call to action, talking points and a full-scale public advocacy campaign to alert the public to the threat of taxes on small businesses. Realtors® were the only major service business actively opposing a proposed B&O tax increase.
On the day the increase was expected to be announced by the House, Realtors® met with the Speaker of the House to reiterate our message. A few hours later the House released its much-delayed revenue package with a B&O increase of .25% on “lawyers, accountants, agents (not real estate), marketing and management consultants.” The House had specifically exempted real estate agents from the B&O tax increase.
“Due to your grassroots efforts and legislative
leadership in Olympia, you have done a great job getting the message heard that real estate is critical to the economic recovery,”
WA State Rep. Dave Upthegrove, 33rd District, to
Washington Realtors® Legislative Steering Committee
“I am proud to say that the Realtors® had a strong and effective presence in Olympia this past legislative session—starting with your President, Bill Riley. At a time when our residential housing market has suffered tremendously in this recession, the Realtors® were a strong voice for balanced policy and
promoting economic recovery for our state.”
Rep. Bruce Dammeier, 25th District
End Game Proved Tough
As is often the case in a legislative session, the exemption was short-lived and Realtors® were back fighting for the industry as the Senate considered a new revenue package that now included a B&O tax increase on all service businesses, including real estate practitioners. Realtors® worked through the weekend to pass an amendment to exempt real estate in Senate Ways and Means and then again on the Senate floor, to no avail.
Immediately, an all-member call to action was sent and more than 17 percent of our members responded and sent 6000 messages to legislators asking them to oppose a B&O on real estate professionals, the equivalent of a $4 million tax on the industry.
With just a moment’s notice, Realtors® then launched a full-scale, fully-prepared public education campaign that included TV, radio and website ads, and a website where the public could go to send messages to their legislators. This campaign was ready to go, thanks to the early planning of Realtors® leadership who anticipated the threat of tax increases. The campaign drew a lot of attention from the public who sent hundreds of messages to legislators as well as called their offices. Newspapers called to ask about the campaign
Realtors® Defend Real Estate in Special Session
On day one of the Special Session called by Gov. Gregoire to reach a final budget agreement, Realtors® were on the Hill urging legislators to again oppose the proposed B&O tax on real estate professionals. Lennox Scott, Dick Fulton, Rich Bergdahl, George Pilant, Rich Menti, Chud Wendle as well as President Bill Riley and President-elect Phil Harlan arrived at the Capitol on short notice and had select meetings with Senate and House leadership who hold substantial budget negotiating positions.
Four days into the Special Session, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown met with Washington Realtor® President Bill Riley, Government Affairs Director Nathan Gorton and Director of Policy Bill Clarke and informed them that Realtors® had communicated their message and that the Senate would exempt real estate services from the B&O increase, one of only a few exemptions that Sen. Brown was allowing. An amendment that “Exempts Realtors® from the increase in the business and occupation tax on service businesses” passed the Senate the next day.
While we received support from both the House and Senate during the regular session to exclude real estate from the B&O tax increase, the revenue bill proposed by the Governor to end the Legislature’s final budget impasse reinstated the B&O increase on all service businesses, including real estate.
We responded by publishing an open letter from Washington Realtors® President Bill Riley to the Governor in the Seattle Times and a full-page ad in the Olympian; a radio ad campaign was launched immediately; another member call to action was sent; and, leadership and lobbyists were involved day and night during the final weekend.
Because this compromise bill developed by the Governor could not be amended, Sen. Kevin Ranker, backed by Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, worked with a coalition of House members led by Rep. Roger Goodman, to exempt real estate from the B&O increase. In the end, this effort lacked support from the Governor and House leadership and did not succeed. The B&O tax on business services, including real estate brokers and agents, was raised by .3% in the final budget. The .3% increase is scheduled to expire in three years.
Realtors® also opposed the repeal of an existing exemption from the B&O tax for amounts received by a property management company from the owner of a property for the gross wages and benefits paid by the property management company to on-site personnel. Like the B&O increase, Realtors opposed this provision but in the end it was included as part of the state’s revenue-raising measures.
2. Protecting Real Estate Excise Tax Use
HB 3179 and SB 6424 – Though there were no fewer than six measures introduced this session that would have diverted funds needed for roads, water and sewer projects for future homes and businesses to accommodate growth, HB 3179 and SB 6424 were two that stayed alive long enough to concern Realtors®; more than 1300 Realtors® responded to an all-member call to action to urge
“Washington Realtors® may be leading the pack in
expenditures with the most comprehensive push to keep new taxes away from the real estate and construction industries.”
Jerry Cornfield, Everett Herald
legislators to oppose the diversion of REET revenue. Legislators heard the message in both the House and the Senate and removed the language from both bills by amendment.
3. Fair Appraisals for Real Estate Transactions
4 HB 3040 – Washington Realtors® successfully supported the efforts of the Appraisal Coalition of Washington and other stakeholders to pass HB 3040, a measure that will help ensure appraisals are fair, reflect local values and that appraisal costs are completely transparent. Because the Home Value Code of Conduct (HVCC) agreement changed appraiser selection criteria (with the intent of eliminating conflicts of interest on mortgage appraisals), the use of appraisal management companies (AMCs) had become much more prevalent. While HB 3040 is not a direct response to the HVCC, it addresses several areas of concern that have surfaced regarding the appraisal management company industry.
4. Environmental Solutions to Help, Not Hinder Real Estate
Washington Realtors® stopped unnecessary environmental regulations that would have burdened our industry while passing others that protect property and streamline permitting.
4 Protecting Existing Uses: HB 1653 – Realtors® in coalition with a group of stakeholders, supported a bill that protects existing uses and activities in shoreline areas. HB 1653 provides protection from critical area ordinances interfering with legally existing uses and structures. It allows property owners to modify legally existing uses and activities on private property in the shoreline areas.
4 Streamlining SEPA: HB 2538 – Realtors® supported this measure which allows for an upfront State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) analysis that would not require a project specific SEPA analysis. This optionanl process provides predictability for development by conducting the SEPA process upfront and protecting development from appeals.
8 Modifying SEPA: SB 6762 – Realtors® originally opposed this bill to incorporate a new standard and definition of “cumulative impacts” into SEPA for Environmental Impact Statements (EISs). Modifications were made to the bill and Realtors® monitored the bill as it passed out of the Senate until it died in the House committee.
8 Studying Green: SB 6244 – Realtors® originally opposed this measure to provide a definition to Green Home and Energy Efficient Home. It was modified to be a task force study bill. Realtors® monitored the bill throughout the session which passed out of the Senate but died on the last day in the House committee.
Other Realtor® Legislative Priorities:
Realtors® successfully worked on several other priority measures affecting the real estate industry. Below they are listed under the topics of Realtors® Special Committees, which worked to review and watch their progress throughout the session.
Consumer/Business Affairs: Washington Realtors® carefully watched legislation that involves the real estate business and the clients we serve—the transaction and forms, real estate law, real estate research.
4 Real Estate Research: HB 2697 – The Washington Center for Real Estate Research has provided updated resources and information about the market which helps in marketing and advocacy efforts since 1989. For that reason, Realtors® worked to advance this bill, which extends the funding for the Center at WSU for another five years.
4 Commercial Seller Disclosure: SB 6749 – Realtors® supported this measure, prepared by legal counsel for the Commercial Brokers Association, NWMLS and the Washington Realtors®, which provides for a Commercial Property Seller Disclosure form. The disclosure forms are specific in statute. The disclosure of commercial real estate concerns title and legal, water, sewer and onsite sewage systems, structural issues, systems and fixtures and environmental issues.
4 Rental Properties: SB 6261 – Realtors® supported this measure to help limit a landlord’s liability for unpaid tenant utility bills. This bill clarifies that a utility can only collect up to four months of a tenant’s delinquent charges from the landlord, if the landlord had notice of the tenant’s delinquency.
8 Real Estate Agency Law: HB 2689 – Unfortunately, this measure to clarify broker and licensee terms got caught up in some political crossfire. The bill makes the necessary changes for the real estate brokerage agency relationship law to be consistent with the real estate brokers and salespersons law, which takes effect July 1, 2010. Realtors® will be working to get the language fix passed next session.
Land Use/Water Issues: Washington Realtors® promote wise planning and use of resources to accommodate our growing communities.
4 Extension of Comprehensive Plan Review: SB 6611 – Under this legislation, local governments are given three additional years to complete updates to their existing comprehensive plans.
4 Water Rights Permitting: SB 6267 – This measure streamlines the water right application process by developing a list of certified water examiners, expanding the department’s water right cost- reimbursement agreement program, and allowed for expedited permit processing.
4 Consolidating GMA Hearings Board: SB 6214 – Realtors® supported this legislation that consolidates the nine (9) members of the Western, Central, and Eastern Hearings Boards into one new Growth Management Hearings Board, which consists of seven (7) members and is intended to save state resources.
8 Restricting Fully Contained Communities: HB 2412 – Realtors® successfully opposed this attempt to restrict the use of the Fully Contained Community statute (RCW 36.70A.350) in the GMA. Fully contained communities allow for the clustering of non-urban development and thus help to reduce sprawl and provide affordable housing. Fortunately, SHB 2412 did not pass out of the House and died.
Next Year Will Be Even Tougher
Next year the state budget deficit could be twice the $2.8 billion hole that needed filling this year and the temptation to tax real estate, especially with the market recovery, will be even greater.
Realtors® overcame many impasses to pass good bills and stop bad ones. Despite these accomplishments Realtors® did not emerge unscathed and we are determined to continue delivering our message to state legislators and elect those that listen.
There were many that championed our cause courageously this session. Some did not. Help us elect the leaders that do. Help us build the power of Realtors® PAC to protect our industry and our livelihood.

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Spring Business Conference

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Communication Connectors
2010 Spring Business Conference Recap
The Spring Business Conference was held at the Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum Washington last
Wednesday through Friday. Communication Connectors highlights the conference to help
you communicate to your members what happened at the committee meetings and at the
Board of Directors meeting.
Board of Directors Meeting
The Directors elected new officers, approved the funding and business plan for a homeowners
club concept, approved a motion regarding General Counsel, and approved the reorganization
plan for the Education Department.
2011 Elections:
President-elect – Faye Nelson, Tri City Association
Treasurer-elect – Vickie Crook, North Puget Sound Association
Vp-elect of Association Operations – Lori Brady, Mason Co. Association
Vp-elect of Business Practices – Kitty Wallace, Kittitas Co. Association
Vp-elect of Education – Ray Spooner, Mid-Columbia Association
Vp-elect of Government Affairs – Paul Chrylser, Snohomish Co-Camano Association
Vp-elect of Information Systems – Tom Cantwell, Sequim Association
The Board approved a motion to establish a club for homeowners.
The club has yet to be named, but it will be a for-profit subsidiary, that will provide non-dues
revenue to Washington REALTORS®. The club will create an enterprise that extends the
relationship between REALTORS® and homeowners in meaningful ways beyond the closing of
a sale and improve and extend the reputation of the REALTOR® brand in Washington state.
The Board also authorized $300,000 to be disbursed from the Issues Fund to the club, and
$250,000 will be disbursed to the subsidiary on January 3, 2011.
The Board of Directors approved an Education Committee restructure
This restructure will allow the business to move more quickly and make decisions more
rapidly. There will be a smaller Board of Trustees and four new standing subcommittees that
meet regularly that include: faculty, curriculum, marketing and designations. These new
subcommittees will focus more directly on the issues at hand. This restructure is a bylaw
change that must be approved in September.
Financial Motions
The Board approved a motion to return $165,000 back to the Issues Fund out of $250,000 that
was allocated for the Housing Education and Marketing Program last April.
The Board voted to rescind the motion passed by the Board of Directors on April 24, 2009
which allocated up to $400,000 from the Issues Fund for the tax credit monetization program.
The money will be released back to the Issues Fund since it was not allowed by the IRS.
Litigation Motion Passes
Since last summer the Executive Committee and Legal Affairs Committee have worked on
establishing litigation management procedure policies for inclusion into the WR Policy
Manual, and the Board of Directors gave their final approval to the policies at this Board
meeting.
The newly adopted procedures will require notice to the President, Executive Committee, and
Legal Affairs Committee if either (1) Washington REALTORS® is sued or is notified that it is
under investigation by a government agency, or (2) if the association files litigation relating to
the operation or management of the association.
The approved policy allows the Executive Committee to establish a Litigation Management
Committee, and provides notification and approval provisions relating to legal settlements.
The Litigation Management Committee will be convened by the Executive Committee, and
can consist of 5 or 7 members, plus the CEO. The members will be selected by the Executive
Committee, must include members from the Legal Affairs Committee, and may include other
individuals who have education or expertise relevant to the pending legal matter. The
Executive Committee establishes the specific role and scope of authority of the Litigation
Management Team.
The Board of Directors will be notified of legal settlements above $25,000, and the Executive
Committee will have authority to settle any legal matter in which the settlement amount is
less than $1 million.
REALTOR® Awards
At the 2010 Awards Luncheon, we announced the winners of the 2009 REALTOR® Awards:
REALTOR® OF THE YEAR
Terry Reynolds – North Puget Sound Association
REALTOR® ACHIEVEMENT
Tom Hormel – Spokane Association
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Randy Hunzeker – Clark County Association
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Barbara Harns – The Exchange, Spokane
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Aaron Reardon – Snohomish County Executive
AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR
Dean Hayes – Security First Financial
FRANK NARDO GRI SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Curtis Miller
EDDY AWARD
Steve Klaniecki
HUGH HAWKINS AWARD
Pili Meyer
Government Affairs
2010 Legislative Session: Update
The Legislative Steering Committee met to review the remarkable accomplishments of the
recently-ended 2010 Legislative Session. No sales tax on services was passed and the real
estate excise tax (REET) was not increased. REALTORS® helped pass a bill to regulate appraisal
management companies and halted an attempt to divert REET revenue away from the roads,
water and sewer projects needed for homes and businesses. A new law to provide a
Commercial Seller Disclosure form passed and we stopped unnecessary environmental
regulations that would have burdened our industry while passing others that will protect
property and streamline permitting.
The Committee discussed the battle REALTORS® fought throughout the entire state budget
process to exclude REALTORS® from a B&O tax increase; despite exemptions proposed several
times, in the final days of the Special Session the B&O tax on business services, including real
estate brokers and agents, was raised by .3%.
REALTORS® PAC Trustees Approve Early Endorsements for U.S. Congress
RPAC Trustees considered and concurred with local association recommendations for early
candidate endorsements for the U.S. Congress. Those early endorsements include Reps. Jay
Inslee (District-1), Dave Reichert (District-8), Jim McDermott (District-7) and Adam Smith
(District-9).
Thousands of Dollars Raised to Elect REALTOR® Candidates
Thank you to all who attended the REALTOR® PAC Auction. There were many special items to
bid on from tickets to the Ellensburg rodeo to a Bucket of Champagne autographed by a state
legislator with the message, “REALTORS® Rock!” NAR’s first VP for 2011 Gary Thomas was the
Special Speaker for the event. The Auction was a huge success, raising $10,000 for RPAC.
Missed out of the Auction? Please make your investment here!

http://warealtor.org/government/political_affairs.asp

The Education Core Committee
The committee heard reports from the forum, GRI Governors, DOL, and education staff. The
committee continued its progress of developing the subcommittees. Steve Klaniecki shared
the results of the member survey.
Association Operations Core Committee
The Committee approved recertification of the Thurston County REALTORS® Association as
meeting the NAR Organizational Standards.
The Committee recommended a previously approved change in NAR Director qualifications
be added to the WR Policy Manual.
Spring Conference for 2012 will be held at Semiahmoo in Blaine, WA
Business Practices Core Committee
Annie Fitzsimmons provided the committee with a Legal Hotline update.
Tech Helpline statistics were provided to the committee.
The committee previewed several new membership marketing tools.
The committee shared feedback on the recent Open House event.
Information Systems Core Committee
The Information System Core Committee is going paperless! Each member received a
memory stick loaded with documents, minutes, research and business plans. Future agendas
and supporting documents will be emailed and committee members will be asked to bring
the information on their laptops or mobile devices.
Committee members reviewed the 2010 Washington REALTOR® communication survey and
also participated in a webinar with the Olympia office to review the refreshed website design.
We reviewed the facebook page and the proposed online usage policy. The awards
committee discussed the format of the awards and formed a new committee for next year.

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B&O Tax Increases for Service Industry

Monday, April 19th, 2010

It has been a busy 36 hours since we last talked to you. I wanted to give you all an update on where we stand right now.

-The House passed the compromise revenue package Saturday afternoon. We worked hard to put together a trailer bill in the house that would follow the revenue package and remove the portion of the bill that taxes Real Estate agents. I would like to thank the following house members for signing on to that bill: Goodman, Van De Weghe, Maxwell, Williams, Upthegrove, Kelly, Conway, Liias, Orwall, Simpson, Appleton, Sells, Blake, Linville, Jacks, Rolfes, Driscoll, Hurst, Takko, and Carlyle and Larry Springer who was the go between for us on this trailer bill. Unfortunately, despite a long list of signers the Speaker decided to not allow any trailer bills at all. We are disappointed by this outcome but are working on other options.

-Now we turn again to Senator Ranker’s heroic efforts for us. This evening Bill Clarke and I met with Senator Ranker to discuss his strategy of running a bill that would make the new B&O Tax Credit work for how Real Estate Agents and Brokers report the B&O Tax. At that meeting he gave us language for a bill that would do just that, and we are now turning our attention to that approach. If passed, this would be a victory. It would be optional for offices to use it, but it would allow agents to be exempt from paying any B&O on the first $42,000 in gross receipts that they bring in, then on a sliding scale between $42,000-$70,000. The full 1.8% rate wouldn’t kick in until after an agent has brought in more than $70,000 in gross commissions. We believe the vast majority of our members would pay less in taxes under this formula then they are now paying at the 1.5% rate.

We will work this bill tomorrow in the House while Senator Ranker works it for us in the Senate. Time is now short and the Legislature will likely adjourn sometime Tuesday. While I am disappointed that we didn’t get the exemption, I believe that ultimately this tax credit will benefit our members, probably even more than an exemption would have. We will have a chance to go into further details at Suncadia, but wanted to give you all a quick update as to where we at right now. Stay tuned with 36-40 hours still left in this session who knows what we could still see.

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USDA Loans Not Accepted

Friday, March 12th, 2010

USDA Rural Development Loan Applications No Longer Accepted – Effective March 12
Date Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Audience(s): Fulfillment Services Field Support, JV HMCs, JV Managers, JV Ops, Retail All , Retail Fulfillment Services All , Retail Sales All, Sales Field Support
Issue: On March 9, the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) announced that program funding for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) will likely be exhausted by the end of April.
In order to ensure the best possible customer experience for our RD borrowers, the following deadlines must be met to ensure RD loans are properly processed:
• Friday, March 12 at 5 p.m. Central time – Deadline for RD applications to be accepted by Wells Fargo.
IMPORTANT: Effective immediately, a Commitment Letter will only be provided for transactions that have received RD 1980-18 Request for Conditional Commitment and RD 1980-21 Request for Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee from the RD office.
If the Commitment Letter has not been issued, Decisioners must suspend transactions until the two RD documents are received.
• Friday, March 19 or sooner – Complete loan packages should be submitted to the appropriate RD office to request the RD 1980-18 Request for Conditional Commitment and RD 1980-21 Request for Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee.

IMPORTANT: Team members are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to submit complete loan packages as soon as possible. However, regardless of the date the loan packages are sent, there is no guarantee that RD program funding will be available.

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STOP .25% Tax Increase Video

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Here is the link to the video NAR will be running to stop the the Senate bill increasing B&O Tax by 0.25% which is = to about $30/transaction for next 3 years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPmb285C0iY Please pass this info on to everyone!!!

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Olympia Legislative Update!!

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Since the election of three new city council members and the leave of absence of mayor pro-tem Joe Hyer, the Olympia city council has drastically changed from last year. Their first order of business was to down zone the “isthmus” property to last years 35 foot height.

Olympia, like all other cities are updating their Comp Plan and their Critical areas ordinance. They are having public meetings and neighbor input events to ask the citizens what they want Olympia to look like and I see a much different city after the new plan is passed.

Some of the issues on the Olympia’s future agenda are:
1. TDR’s (transfer of development rights) (work session) ???
2. Community Development block grant approvals.(March 9th)
3. Brentridge master plan. (March 9th)
4. Ground breaking of Percival landing project (July 2010)
5. Completion of the NEW City Hall (July-August 2010)
6. The west Olympia access study (March 23rd)
7. The construction bid for fire station # 4 (Stoll Rd.) (April 13th)

Olympia successfully passed a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and have started collecting the $20.00 license tab fee. They also voted to allow developers to defer the payment of impact fees to the time of occupancy instead of Building permit. (Both were supported and lobbied by Realtors).

The city will be looking at “Revenue enhancement” including:
1. Levy lid lift (property tax increase)
2. Utility tax increase
3. B&O tax increase
4. Sales tax increase (3/10 of one percent) if allowed by the State Legislature.

I will continue to update this information as future meetings and hearings are scheduled.

DeWayne Granacki
TCRA GAD

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Legislative Update!!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

TUMWATER Update

Tumwater city council has just adopted a strategic plan as they are looking at their comprehensive plan. Their Strategic Plan and Comp Plan will contain an “economic development” platform. REALTORS® were instrumental in developing the plan. It contains 7 goals and action strategies that stimulate economic growth.

Three elements of the plan that were included by Realtors are:

# 1. Consider the timing of impact fees to coincide with the beginning of the impact to the city. i.e., at occupancy not permit application.

#2. Modify the city’s “vesting” ordinance so that vesting occurs at the time a compete plat is FILED and NOT at the time of a building permit.

# 3. Expedited Permitting: Tumwater has been criticized by the development community that it takes too long for a permit application to be approved. Due to a shortage of staff, Tumwater will hire outside permit review services [paid for by the developer] to move the permitting process to a few weeks and not a few months.

Tumwater will be looking at the “Brewery” property, Capitol Way, and Littlerock road for future development.

This plan will have two “public hearings” before final approval. We should all be there and support our additions to the plan. I will let you know when the hearings are scheduled.

A complete copy of the ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN is available at the TCRA Office.

ATTENTION INTERESTED PARTIES: Tumwater has an opening on the Planning Commission and in this year of Comp Plan review, it would be GREAT to have a Realtor on the Planning Commission. If you live in Tumwater and would be interested, please contact DeWayne @ 918-1193

DeWayne Granacki
TCRA GAD

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VOTE

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Candidate endorsements
Local Elections:
At a meeting of the Quality of Life/Government Affairs meeting, Friday August 28th, a list of all candidates recommended by the TCRA Candidate Interview Teams was presented. After discussion the slate of candidates endorsed by TCRA are:

*Thurston County Commissioner
Patrick Beehler
*Port of Olympia
Jeff Davis
Bill McGregor
*City Council of Lacey
Position #4: Ann Burgman
Position #5: John Darby
Position #6: Graeme Sackrison
Position #7: Virgil Clarkson
*City Council of Olympia
Position #5: Jeff Kingsbury
Position #6: Joan Machlis
Position #7: Joe Hyer
*City Council of Tumwater
Mayor: Neil McClanahan
Position #5: Ed Hildreth
Position #6: Judith Tennant Hodfling
*City Council of Yelm
Mayor: Ron Harding
Position #5: Jennifer Littlefiel

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HUD HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

March 2009
HUD e-Briefs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington
Martha Dilts, Region X Deputy Director        206/220-5356       Leland Jones, Editor

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IN PASSING

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

"He used his remarkable gifts as an entrepreneur for the benefit of millions of needy people around the world by providing them with decent housing.  As the founder of Habitat for Humanity and later the Fuller Center, he was an inspiration to me, other members of my family and untold numbers of volunteers who worked side-by-side under his leadership.” – Former President Jimmy Carter on the death of Millard Fuller.

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FHA HIKES LIMITS

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

If you’re a mortgage lender or REALTOR, homebuyer or homeowner in one of the Northwest’s high-cost housing markets – like Seattle, Portland, Boise, Tacoma, Anchorage, Eugene, Olympia, Fairbanks, Corvallis, Vancouver, Juneau, Salem, Bremerton, Sitka or Bend – the recently-enacted stimulus package – aka, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 has something very important to you – higher FHA mortgage insurance limits.  The higher limits are in effect for loans for which credit is approved in calendar year 2009 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2009. The higher limits give homebuyers a larger inventory of homes from which to choose and give more homeowners in a volatile market the chance to refinance into, says HUD Secretary Donovan, FHA’s “safe, affordable mortgage products.”  To find out if limits in your market have increased, visit https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hicostlook.cfm

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DITTO

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

The stimulus bill also raised the limit on “reverse” or Home Equity Conversion mortgage from $417,000 to $625,500.  Until April 30th, 2009, FHA will allow HECMs that received case number assignments but didn’t close prior to the effective date of this mortgagee letter to be closed using either the old limit that was used to originally calculate the loan, or the new limits.

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BUYER BREAK

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Following enactment of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, the Internal Revenue Service already has posted – at www.irs.gov – a revised Form 5405, First-Time Homebuyer Credit to incorporate Act’s provisions permitting qualifying taxpayers who buy a home this year before December 1 can claim up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married individuals filing separately, on either their 2008 or 2009 tax returns.

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STIMUL-NATION

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Just one week and one day after the President signed the stimulus bill, HUD announced how it planned to allocate some $10.1 billion in funds provided under the bill to help finance housing through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, to modernize and upgrade public housing, to provide emergency shelter, to further reduce lead hazards in the nation’s housing stock and to help local governments through the Community Development Block Grant program and tribes through the Indian Housing Block Grant move forward with shovel-ready projects.  All told, the states of Alaska, Idaho, Washington and Oregon will receive more than $325 million of the funds. Want to know more about the what’s and where’s of how the funds will be spent?  Visit the Newsroom at www.hud.gov/alaska or www.hud.gov/idaho or www.hud.gov/oregon or www.hud.gov/washington.

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BRIEF BRIEFS

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

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".

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“A LIFELINE”

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Calling them a “critical lifeline” to those “faced with homelessness,” HUD Secretary Donovan announced the award of some $66.3 million to some 300 homeless providers and local governments across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to provide homeless individuals and families with “a wide range of housing and supportive services.”  This year’s announcement of an “unprecedented” level of support for such programs include the award of 23 “rapid re-housing” pilot programs to accelerate the delivery of assistance to families suddenly left homeless.  Three of the pilots went to Northwest groups – Catholic Social Services in Anchorage, the Northwest Rapid Re-Housing Network in Washington and the Opening Doors Rapid Re-Housing Project in the Portland area. In comments to the press, the Secretary said more rapid re-housing would be funded by the $1.5 billion in homeless funds provided by the stimulus bill.

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