The state open-records law is under siege
\n(Heraldnet © 02/03/2012)
Here is a passage from a Washington law beloved by journalists and other public watchdogs:\r\n\r\n\"The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the ri");
document.write("ght to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know.\"\r\n\r\nThat's part of the state's Public Records Ac...\n
Occupancy standards tightened for housing aid
\n(The Spokesman-Review © 02/03/2012)
Changes to the Spokane Housing Authority?s housing voucher program could make for some tight living arrange");
document.write("ments. Because of budget cuts, the agency is implementing new occupancy standards and will pay rent based on one bedroom for every two people in a home in an effort to continue to serve all clients receiving housing assistance.\r\n\r\n?If you have a family of four, you would have a two-bedroom un...\n
A homeowner who fought foreclosure and won
\n(Th");
document.write("e Olympian © 02/02/2012)
LOS ANGELES ? Foreclosure commonly represents the end of a struggle. A borrower can't pay a mortgage, loses a home and moves on.\r\n\r\nBut Karen Mena, a 38-year-old county worker, never gave up. Mena fought even after her San Bernardino home, Calif., was no longer hers. And she won the three-bedroom house back - at least for now.\r\n\r\nThe ordeal isn't over yet. The eviction was stopped and Bank of Am...\n
Home prices slide to '03 levels
\n(Heraldnet © 02/01/2012)
Herald News Services\r\nHome prices in the nation's biggest cities fell for the third consecutive month in November, a sign the housing market ended 2011 in a weakened state.\r\n\r\nThe closely followed Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index showed price declines in 19 of the 20 cities it tracks in November -- the second month in a row that nearly every city in the index was in negative territory. The i...\n
Roosevelt Upzone Passes; Neighborhood Seeks Agreement With Developer
\n(publicola.com © 01/31/2012)
This afternoon, the city council voted 7-2?with only Bruce Harrell and Jean Godden opposed?to approve a proposed upzone near the planned Roosevelt light rail station, which some neighborhood residents oppose because it includes a height increase (from 40 to 65 fe");
document.write("et) across the street from Roosevelt High School.\r\n\r\nAlthough commenters today were mostly opposed to the rezone (calling the new develop...\n
New Wave of Rental Units In Popular Seattle Condo Projects
\n(seattlepi.com © 01/25/2012)
For those of your looking to rent in 2012, there are a new wave of rentals that just hit the market i");
document.write("n Seattle. Unlike traditional ?apartment? projects, these rentals are condo owners leasing their units in highly coveted buildings. I?ve included the listings below. Just click the picture to view more details....\n
The next housing bubble in Seattle - Apartments?
\n(seattlepi.com © 01/19/2012)
I just read a great article today abo");
document.write("ut apartment developers who face a potential supply bubble. It highlighted some very important points that are worth considering as we examine the next 5-7 years in the Seattle market. We are in massive cycle of apartment development. Just this last year, we?ve seen an incredible amount of new projects get underway. Developers, builders and investors are tryi...\n
Foreclosed properties open doors to renters
\n(The Spokesman-Review © 01/16/2012)
CHICAGO ? As the housing market enters a new year of watching and waiting for stability to return, there is also some action afoot: Efforts are expected to take shape to tackle the vast swath of empty homes and fill them with residents ? and in many cases, renters.\r\n\r\nMuch of the worry for housing in 2012 concerns unemployment levels and elevated mortgage delinquency rates. The number of homes ent...\n
2011's foreclosure rate falls, but with a caveat
\n(king5.com © 01/13/2012)
NEW YORK-- About 1.9 million homes entered the foreclosure process in 2011, the lowest level since 2007 when the recession began, according to a report Thursday by the foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc.\r\n\r\nThe firm cautioned that the decline does not necessarily indicate that the housing market is getting better, as many forecl");
document.write("osures have been delayed due to confusion over documentation and...\n
Foreclosures targeted for rental
\n(The Olympian © 01/13/2012)
CHICAGO ? As the housing market enters a new year of watching and waiting for stability to return, there is also some action afoot: Efforts are expected to take shape to tackle the vast swath of empty");
document.write(" homes and fill them with residents - and in many cases, renters.\r\n\r\nMuch of the worry for housing in 2012 concerns unemployment levels and elevated mortgage delinquency rates. The number of homes ent...\n
Moving evicted tenants is big business
\n(TDN.com © 01/09/2012)
Property owners across the country bear a burden from the reces");
document.write("sion: paying a fortune in moving and storage costs to evict tenants who fail to pay their rent.\r\n\r\nBut the owners' losses are a boon for the companies that clear out homes. Their business has skyrocketed, \"making money out of people's misery,\" said David Robinson, an attorney for Legal Services NYC, which helps low-income New Yorkers...\n
Some familiar names seek ");
document.write("to rent out foreclosed homes
\n(The Seattle Times © 01/09/2012)
By John Gittelsohn\r\nBloomberg News\r\n\r\nFortress Investment Group and Deutsche Bank, whose executives played roles in the housing bubble, are among the hundreds of firms that responded to a U.S. government request for proposals to rent out foreclosed homes.\r\n\r\nThe Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) asked for ideas as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage companies seized by the government in 2...\n
Frontline: Renters insurance vital for students
\n(The Western Front © 01/09/2012)
In late June the 10-year battle over instituting a rental licensing and inspection program came to a halt when the City Council voted down the proposal. One concern was increasing costs on small-business landlords during an economic recession; landlords would be responsible for the cost of making homes that violate health and safety laws suitab");
document.write("le to live in.\r\n\r\nAs we enter the winter months, the...\n
Guest Column: Rental licensing necessary to keep homes safe
\n(The Western Front © 01/09/2012)
By David Hopkinson\r\nLandlord and York Neighborhood resident\r\nLiving off campus is different than living in a dormitory.\r\n\r\nFor one thing, it?s likely to be more dangerous. Some lan");
document.write("dlords maintain their buildings. Others don?t. Some do a good job. Others, not so much. Landlords have a large population of student renters ? transients on a two- to three-year cycle ? so there is little incentive to pr...\n
![](\"http://mediatracking.com/npcapp/publisherUsage.aspx/34548/36426/14/image.gif?rnd=634638699539319205\"){kind=small}
\n");