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The House Natural Resources Committee held a legislative hearing on the Protecting America’s Recreation and Conservation Act, a bill that proposes extensive and dismantling changes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Rep. Tsongas has championed the LWCF and has been one of the leading voices calling for its reauthorization.

The conspiracy began in approximately August 2007 and continued through June 2010, a period that included the height of the financial crisis and its aftermath. Home values in Massachusetts and across the nation declined precipitously, and many homeowners found themselves suddenly “underwater,” with their homes worth less than the mortgage debt they owed.

The Baker-Polito Administration announced a program that will provide homeless veterans with housing services. Under the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, the administration is allocating 65 rental vouchers to chronically homeless veterans who were identified by the local veterans’ committees across the Commonwealth.

MassHousing developed the loan program after finding that VA loans have some restrictions that make it more challenging to use in Massachusetts than in other states. There are relatively few lenders in Massachusetts offering the VA loan.

The City of Boston is committed to connecting Boston's military families with the resources and assistance they are entitled to. Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh released "An Action Plan to End Veteran and Chronic Homelessness In Boston: 2015 - 2018", which outlines the City's strategies to transform Boston's homeless response system in order to end veterans homelessness by 2015 and chronic homelessness by 2018.

The PATH program manages $600,000 in grant funding to help communities expand housing opportunities through community-initiated activities on municipally-owned sites; through changes to land use and zoning; through planning for housing and mixed-use development in specific geographic areas; and through the implementation of strategies identified in DHCD-approved Housing Production Plans

In his 56-page judgment and order pdf format of O'Donnell Judgment file size 3MB, Judge Davis held that O’Donnell is personally liable for $1,285,300 in restitution, plus interest, for orchestrating “sham transactions” to obtain four real estate properties from two charities he created, Bay State Affordable Housing (organized to provide low-income housing) and Save the Star (organized to rehabilitate Taunton’s historic Star Theater). Judge Davis ordered that O’Donnell pay this restitution into a fund established by the AG to be applied, under the direction of the Court, to one or more Taunton-area charities.

EPA alleged that Borrego violated requirements of its 2012 Construction General Permit by failing to install and maintain erosion controls and to carry out required “best management” practices for controlling storm water. The requirements were conditions of the Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction.

The Mayor's Carbon Cup was launched in April 2014 and recognizes the commitments of large organizations including hospitals, universities, and commercial building portfolios. There are seven participants to date, which have collectively committed approximately 20.4 million square feet to a 35 percent greenhouse gas emission reduction. The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston will contribute 1.2 million square feet to that target.

Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) was joined by Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), and Lou Barletta (R-PA), along with 71 other Members of Congress in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell to urge for the swift release of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding.

The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the traditional “back-to-school” season didn’t slow buyer activity in September as pending home sales went up over 35 percent from the same month last year. REALTORS® confidence in the market was high in September as the REALTOR® Market Confidence and Price Indexes were both up from September 2014. This month’s “Hot Topic” question finds that the majority of REALTORS® don’t believe the August stock market correction will impact future closed sales

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas today introduced new legislation to help urban communities turn blighted environments into public parks or other usable green spaces, while creating jobs in communities with elevated unemployment.

As outlined in the City of Boston's Action Plan to End Veterans and Chronic Homelessness, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today that the City of Boston is seeking a vendor to create the City's first-ever Coordinated Access system (CA) - a single platform that providers, housing owners and the City will use to match homeless individuals with available housing paired with supportive services.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced $3 million in capital upgrades to 22 elderly and disabled public housing developments throughout the City of Boston. The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is providing the upgrades to common areas of the developments to create a warmer and more welcoming environment, and an improved quality of life for residents.

Michael R. Anderson, 46, of Framingham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11,048,212 in restitution and forfeit $7,413,712. In January 2011, Anderson pleaded guilty to sixteen counts of wire fraud, nine counts of bank fraud, and two counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.