MORE ON: housing

Daily Report: Money and Politics

Newsom's good government measures also good for donors

August 8, 2012, 12:05 AM
In seeking to sharpen the traditionally ambiguous role of state lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom has posited himself as a Mr. Fixit for local good government measures under threat from out-of-towners. But as Newsom has thrown his weight behind efforts to reclaim for pedestrians a plaza in San... + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Mortgage relief plan embraced in Berkeley has links to Occupy

August 6, 2012, 12:05 AM
The Berkeley City Council has thrown its support behind a growing group of activists, public officials and entrepreneurs calling upon governments to seize mortgages to provide relief to financially troubled homeowners. The idea of using governments’ powers of eminent domain to... + read more
Daily Report: Health and Welfare, Money and Politics

Homeowners with underwater mortgages may be stuck for years

July 27, 2012, 12:05 AM
Although foreclosures in the state have hit a five-year low, real estate experts say millions of Californians who owe more on their homes than they are worth might not see their situation improve for years. “It’s a huge drain on the economy,” said Dean Baker, co-director of... + read more
Daily Report: Environment

'Green' homes sell for 9 percent more, study says

July 23, 2012, 12:05 AM
California homes that meet environmental standards, such as energy efficiency and proximity to public transportation, are selling at higher prices than homes that don't, according to a new report. The study, conducted by researchers at UC Berkeley and UCLA, looked... + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Alameda to allow construction of new apartments

July 11, 2012, 12:05 AM
For the first time in nearly 40 years, the city of Alameda has zoned large swaths of land for apartment buildings. The City Council's vote paves the way for new affordable housing in the city, which residents have tried to block for decades. The new zoning plan came eight months after... + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Despite waiting lists, new veterans homes are sitting empty

July 5, 2012, 12:05 AM
Two years ago, 64-year-old Air Force veteran Cheryl Stewart began gathering books and blankets to donate to a state-run nursing home for veterans, which was scheduled to open this spring. But though it finished building the 300-bed facility in April, the California Department of Veterans... + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Risk of foreclosure looms over 700,000 Californians

June 27, 2012, 1:21 PM
California’s housing crisis isn't over, with 11 percent of borrowers in the state at risk of foreclosure, according to a new report released this week by the nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending, a Washington-based think tank. The report found nearly 700,000 California homeowners... + read more
Daily Report: General Assignment

Despite demand for apartments in Bay Area, new construction slows

June 20, 2012, 12:05 AM
Although rents are soaring and demand for rental units is growing, developers are not building many new apartments, condominiums or homes in the Bay Area, according to a new report. The region added 6,382 housing units between April 2010 and July 2011, an increase of just 0.2 percent, newly... + read more
Spotlight: Money and Politics

Video: Texas firm accuses hundreds of Californians of mortgage fraud

May 23, 2012, 5:02 PM
Nearly a million California homeowners lost their homes in the foreclosure crisis. Now, some are being pursued by a little-known Texas company with a controversial strategy for seeking profit in the real estate collapse. + read more
Spotlight: Money and Politics

React & Act: What is second-mortgage debt?

May 23, 2012, 3:03 PM
To understand Rick Jurgens’ article on the second-mortgage debt and one Texas firm’s aggressive collection methods, you must first look at the origins of the mortgage crisis. Here, we provide an explainer, a glossary of terms, a guide to available resources and a recommended reading list. + read more
Spotlight: Money and Politics

Texas firm targets Calif. homeowners with foreclosed 2nd mortgages

May 23, 2012, 3:03 PM
Homeowners thought their mortgage debt was erased after banks and lending companies took their houses – until Heritage Pacific stepped in. + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Foreclosure mediation could save billions

February 16, 2012, 12:05 AM
New research says it pays to help struggling homeowners. Thousands of Californians have lost their homes during the housing crisis, wreaking havoc on families, as well as state and local government property tax revenue. But there is an inexpensive solution, according to a report released last... + read more
Daily Report: Money and Politics

Lawyer accused of mortgage-related fraud sues Kamala Harris

October 28, 2011, 12:05 AM
Los Angeles-area attorney Mitchell J. Stein refers to himself as "The Doberman" and his website advertises, "You Hold The Leash." In August, California Attorney General Kamala Harris raided Stein's offices and accused him and other lawyers of fraudulently misleading... + read more
Daily Report: Health and Welfare

Housing program for mentally ill struggles in rural counties

August 16, 2011, 12:05 AM
For nearly all his adult life, Fernando drifted between Mexico and the United States, his typical bed a couch in a friend's or family member's house. Battling anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior, depression and alcohol abuse, he was kicked out everywhere he went. But since last... + read more
Daily Report: Health and Welfare

Minorities hit hardest as wealth gap widens

July 26, 2011, 12:05 AM
White households have a net worth 20 times that of black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households, according to a Pew Research Center analysis released today. The wealth gaps between these groups are at a record high and are about twice their pre-recession size. Between 2005 and... + read more
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