Discrimination Dispute Settled Against California Complex

According to HUD, the landlord and management company of an Ontario, California townhouse complex has agreed to pay a family over $10,000 for alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act. The family, residents of the townhouse apartments, claimed that the resident manager of this townhouse complex harassed Hispanic families and discriminated against them in a variety of other ways, such as refusing repairs and overcharging rent. The settlement outlines that Ontario Townhouse Limited Partnership and Edgewood Management Corporation will pay $10,344 to the family, while also ending the term of employment for the manager accused of violations. Further action includes that the owners of the townhouses will provide oral interpretation services, display all signs in both English and Spanish, and have all on-site staff participate in a fair housing training course. For more information regarding the Fair Housing Assistance Program, please visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing

Foreclosure Mitigatation Counseling Program offered to Nonprofit Organizations

During the week of February 11-15, NeighborWorks®® America will be offering a National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program in Sacramento, CA. This week-long workshop will provide professionals with the resources and education needed to adequately assist clients facing foreclosure. Though registration is required, there is no fee, and invited parties include the staff of nonprofit housing counseling organizations.

For more information on this training program, please visit http://www.nw5.org/training/index.php?sid=dfa03e6d8fcaddf88138e41268a1a3b6, and to view the complete list of courses offered by NeighborWorks® America, please visit http://www.nw.org/network/home.asp.

HUD-FHA Posts Career Opportunities

According to HUD, vacancy announcements for HUD-FHA have been posted at www.usajobs.gov. Qualified individuals may apply for recently posted career opportunities such as Housing Programs Specialist, and in the Program Support Division. Interested parties may obtain application forms for these postings at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/forms.asp

In 2007, Home Prices Dropped and Buyers Retreated

For the first time in four decades, 2007 saw a drop in the price of homes in America, according to the National Association of Realtors. Although prices dropped, so did sales, as the sales rate of single-family homes decreased 13%. In terms of an upturn to the housing market, the immediate outlook is dim, and experts report that the market isn’t expected to bottom out until at least the summer. Even then, sales will remain slow. According to the New York Times, a combination of higher inventories and more stringent lending standards have made the process of taking out a mortgage more difficult for potential buyers. Further concerns about the state of the economy have also served to make Americans more cautious about home buying and other purchases.

For more on this story, please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/business/25home.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin