COLUMBUS, OH - June 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) has been awarded $1,461,561 to continue supporting the availability of foreclosure counseling and prevention services across the state.

CLEVELAND, OH - June 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --The Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced the settlement of a discrimination claim against the developers, designers, owners, and builders of Stonebridge Waterfront Apartments, Stonebridge Towers and Stonebridge Plaza (collectively, Stonebridge properties) located in Cleveland, Ohio.

COLUMBUS, OH - June 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homeownership is a rewarding and worthwhile investment. With reduced home prices and competitive mortgage rates, this is an excellent time to celebrate the affordable housing options available to Ohioans. Governor John Kasich proclaimed June as Homeownership Month, highlighting the impact of homeownership on Ohio's economy and communities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that $229,140 has been awarded to the Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland, Inc. to provide foreclosure counseling to local families. The National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program funds are awarded on a competitive basis to help prevent foreclosures

COLUMBUS, OH - June 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- An amendment to the Senate’s version of the budget bill released yesterday would take millions from a fund that provides housing for poor, elderly and disabled Ohioans, and funnel it to county recorders offices for “general purposes.”

DAYTON, OH - June 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-11, 2011), St. Mary Development Corporation has updated its searchable affordable housing database to include Hamilton, Brown and Clermont counties. The database already included eight Ohio counties: Butler, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Warren.

COLUMBUS, OH - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) is partnering with The Ohio State University (OSU) to launch the Homeownership Investment Program. The program will provide additional support for OHFA homeowners before and after they purchase their home, to increase their mortgage sustainability and overall financial well-being. The new program will enhance the streamlined homebuyer education currently offered by the Agency in conjunction with OHFA's successful affordable mortgage program for first-time homebuyers.

COLUMBUS, OH - May 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board yesterday approved $2.6 million in funding through the Housing Development Assistance Program (HDAP) to provide flexible, low-interest financing for affordable housing developments. Funding for HDAP comes from the federal HOME program and the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF).

COLUMBUS, OH - May 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Commerce Director David Goodman today announced an assurance of voluntary compliance (AVC) with Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC to resolve a 2009 lawsuit and to provide relief to Ohio homeowners facing foreclosure."This agreement will help Ohioans obtain affordable modifications to allow them to stay in their homes," Attorney General DeWine said. "We are pleased that Carrington Mortgage Services has worked with our Office and is committed to helping Ohio homeowners avoid foreclosure."

CLEVELAND, OH - May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced his office has filed a lawsuit against The Modification Group LLC (TMG), a Cleveland business that offered to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in exchange for $1,995 or more. The lawsuit alleges multiple violations of Ohio consumer law, including failure to deliver.“We have received dozens of complaints against The Modification Group,” Attorney General DeWine said

COLUMBUS, OH - April 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board approved $1.9 million in funding through the Housing Development Assistance Program (HDAP) to provide flexible, low-interest financing for affordable housing developments on Wednesday. Funding for HDAP comes from the federal HOME program and the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF).

CLEVELAND, OH - April 15, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- County Prosecutor Bill Mason and the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force operating under authorization of Ohio Attorney General and Ohio's Organized Crime Investigations Commission announced indictments against Takara Madkins, and her company, D. & T. Investments, Inc. Others indicted were Jerrall Collier and Darrick Ceasor, and his company, Dee Cee Supply. All the homes fell into either tax or mortgage foreclosure, leaving a current tax delinquency amount of $30,349.15 owed to the county

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In the wake of a settlement between 14 U.S. mortgage servicers and foreclosed homeowners, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced landmark legislation to prevent future servicer fraud and errors, improve foreclosure counseling and prevention, and reform oversight of mortgage-based investing.

Washington, DC - April 8, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide Ohio with an additional $61.8 million to help low-income homeowners and renters meet home energy costs under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Washington, DC - April 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) wrote to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairman, Todd Snitchler, calling upon him to reject two separate proposals by FirstEnergy and the PUCO staff that would discontinue the all-electric home rate created by FirstEnergy in the 1970’s. FirstEnergy created that rate to encourage builders to build homes, and consumers to purchase homes that used electric heating, rather than cheaper gas heating alternatives. When that rate no longer served FirstEnergy’s interest, it attempted to eliminate that rate without any concern for the impact it would have on those homeowners. “The elimination of the all-electric rate would cause the heating costs of all-electric homes to soar and their values to plummet,” wrote Kucinich in the letter.

COLUMBUS, OH - April 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Designated as Fair Housing Month, April is recognized nationwide as a time to commemorate the advancements in making equal access to affordable housing available to every American regardless of race, color, religion, sex, nationality, familial and military status, disability or ancestry.

CLEVELAND, OH - April 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- County Prosecutor Bill Mason and the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force operating under authorization of Ohio Attorney General and Ohio's Organized Crime Investigations Commission announced that Daniel R. Hagen was indicted on five counts of mortgage fraud offenses including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Arraignment is scheduled April 12, 2011.

COLUMBUS, OH - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Spring cleaning is one of many rituals that Ohio homeowners take part in following a long, cold winter. While you’re cleaning up your home this spring, why not take a few extra moments to protect its contents by creating a home inventory.

COLUMBUS, OH - March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) today announced the 2011 Housing Tax Credit Program recipients who will each receive a portion of $23.8 million in federal housing tax credits for the construction, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable housing units in Ohio. Funding was awarded to 33 developments that will serve families, seniors, and persons who are mentally ill or homeless in 22 of Ohio's 88 counties.

Washington, DC - March 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today took to the House floor once again to stand up for programs designed to help homeowners struggling to keep their homes. Today he challenged H.R. 861 – The Neighborhood Stabilization Program Termination Act. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program was authorized in the 111th Congress to help neighborhoods deal with the blight and rising crime rates associated with foreclosed homes.