COLUMBUS, OH - February 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that today's release of a monitor's report shows that more than 7,000 Ohioans have received more than $280 million in consumer relief from the National Mortgage Settlement announced one year ago.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A large quantity of pipe insulation containing asbestos was illegally dumped on a property near Swanton last fall. Ohio EPA is seeking assistance from anyone who may have seen activity at the dump site or at an area commercial or school building.

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH - February 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge is pleased to announce introduction of legislation to aid states and cities in addressing the need to demolish vacant and abandoned properties. The Restore our Neighborhoods Act of 2013 (H.R. 656) was jointly introduced by Congresswoman Fudge (OH-11), Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) and unveiled today at a news conference in Cleveland.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal court in Cleveland has barred MAI-designated real estate appraiser Michael Ehrmann and his firm, Jefferson & Lee Appraisals Inc., from preparing property appraisals for federal tax purposes, the Justice Department announced today. Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio signed the civil injunction order against Ehrmann and Jefferson & Lee Appraisals. The defendants consented to the injunction without admitting the allegations against them.

COLUMBUS - February 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor announced Ohio’s average auto and homeowners insurance premiums are again among the lowest in the nation.

MANSFIELD, OH - February 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today joined Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker and several other Richland County officials at the demolition of an abandoned house made possible by a grant from his Demolition Grant Program. The property at 102 Raymond Avenue in Mansfield is one of many properties in Ohio that have been demolished through efforts by local communities and the Attorney General's Demolition Grant Program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) today announced expansions to the State of Ohio's foreclosure prevention program, Save the Dream Ohio. Effective February 1, the enhancements to the program and eligibility requirements are intended to aid OHFA in assisting more homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments

COLUMBUS, OH - February 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) today announced expansions to the State of Ohio's foreclosure prevention program, Save the Dream Ohio. Effective February 1, the enhancements to the program and eligibility requirements are intended to aid OHFA in assisting more homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments.

COLUMBUS, OH - January 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced that he and 45 other Attorneys General have reached a $120 million multi-state settlement with Lender Processing Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries, LPS Default Solutions and DocX, resolving allegations that the Jacksonville-based company "robo-signed" documents and engaged in other improper conduct related to mortgage loan default servicing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- hrough the voluntary efforts of the Ashtabula County Port Authority, a brownfield along the Lake Erie shoreline has been investigated and remediated under Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP). The port authority is marketing the property for commercial or industrial redevelopment.

OLUMBUS, OH - January 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Deborah L. Kistner, 50, and her husband, Mark A. Kistner, 52, both of Hilliard, pleaded guilty three days after their trial started to a $7 million mortgage fraud scheme they carried out between June 2006 and July 2010

TOLEDO, OH - January 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) revealed how Ohioans will be affected by this month’s deal requiring banks to pay $8.5 billion to homeowners who were hurt by the mortgage crisis. Brown was joined at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) by Belinda Brooks, a Northwest Ohio homeowner whose home was in foreclosure because of errors made by her mortgage servicer. Kathy Broka, president and CEO of the Fair Housing Center, a Toledo homeowner advocacy and counseling organization, also attended today’s event.

CLEVELAND, OH - January 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- At an event today at Community Housing Solutions with Ohioans who were unlawfully foreclosed on, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) released a letter to federal regulators urging them to cancel tax breaks for big banks involved in the settlement deal on unlawful foreclosures.

COLUMBUS, OH - January 17, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today reminded eligible Ohioans that January 18th is the deadline to submit claims for compensation to the National Mortgage Settlement Administrator. Pursuant to the National Mortgage Settlement announced in February 2012, eligible borrowers who lost a home to a foreclosure sale would be eligible for direct compensation.

COLUMBUS - January 17, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gordon L. Yocom, 44, of Dublin, Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for fraudulently obtaining a mortgage loan to finance the purchase of a real estate property in Powell, Ohio. Yocom agreed to forfeit $119,000, which represented the proceeds of this transaction.

COLUMBUS, OH - January 17, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board bid farewell to a long-standing member yesterday. Roger McCauley served on the OHFA Board since the establishment of the agency in February 1983. During his 30-year tenure, McCauley participated in the Agency's affordable housing initiatives including the development of the Agency's Annual Plan and single-family and multifamily programs

COLUMBUS, OH - January 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) revealed how Ohioans will be affected by this month’s deal requiring banks to pay $8.5 billion to homeowners who were hurt by the mortgage crisis. Brown was joined at Homeport by a central Ohio teacher, Jeanne Brigner, a homeowner whose bank initiated foreclosure proceedings despite her being up-to-date on mortgage payments. With the help of Brown’s office, Ms. Brigner is still in her home. Brown outlined legislation that would help the housing market and economic recovery by preventing foreclosures and keeping more Americans in their homes

COLUMBUS, OH - January 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- In the wake of the settlement deal on wrongful foreclosures reached last week, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today called on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry to learn from the mistakes of past settlement deals, maximize relief to homeowners, and clean up the mortgage servicing industry. Brown released the letter following a meeting with Ohio homeowners and the Columbus Housing Partnership.

COLUMBUS, OH - December 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency Board approved more than $6.3 million through the Housing Development Assistance Program (HDAP) to provide flexible, low-interest financing for affordable housing developments during a meeting on Wednesday. Funding for HDAP comes from the federal HOME program and the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF). The developments receiving HDAP funds include

COLUMBUS, OH - December 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) announced that it has distributed $100 million in funding to Ohio homeowners through the state of Ohio's foreclosure prevention program. Through its disbursement of funds, Save the Dream Ohio has assisted more than 8,500 Ohio homeowners facing default or foreclosure on their homes