WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a longtime champion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), today received an award from the National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN), a national organization representing local non-profit community action agencies, fuel providers, utilities and local government agencies. The NFFN presented Rep. Markey with their 2010 Extra Mile Award at the annual LIHEAP Action Day for his continued advocacy for increased funding for LIHEAP and for his call for the expansion of LIHEAP to include more American families who may find themselves in need of home heating assistance.

NEW BEDFORD, MA - July 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A consent judgment has been obtained against a South Dartmouth landlord resolving allegations that he made discriminatory statements in rental advertisements posted on the popular classified advertising website Craigslist.org (“Craigslist”), Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today

WALTHAM, MA - July 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up in June, marking the 12th straight month of year-over-year increases. Both single-family and condominium median prices were also up in June and in Q2 compared to the same time last year.

Lynn, MA - July 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John Tierney (D-MA) announced that Bridgewell, a Lynnfield-based nonprofit, received a $1,715,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to build ten units of housing for local seniors and residents with developmental disabilities in Lynn. The program and apartments are designed to allow residents to live independently.

Bedford, MA - July 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real estate buyer specialist Beth Lucht brings her energy and expertise to Clayton Realty Group, Inc., a growing real estate firm specializing in the Northwest Boston suburbs. Formerly with Keller Williams Realty in Concord, MA, Miss Lucht first began her real estate career in 2005 with Buyer's Network, an exclusive buyer brokerage.

July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) has recently been awarded a Permanent Housing Funding Bonus grant of more than $1 million by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that will provide for permanent housing for 22 homeless families who are currently living in emergency shelter, or in hotels or motels

BOSTON, MA - July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Deval Patrick today announced that MassHousing had its single greatest lending year in the agency's 44-year history by providing more than $838 million for affordable housing in fiscal year 2010.This landmark year shattered MassHousing's previous record of $753 million in overall lending set just last year. MassHousing has posted four consecutive record years for home mortgage lending and more than doubled its lending in fiscal 2010 for affordable rental housing.

DEDHAM, MA - July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of America Home Loans has opened a new customer outreach center in Dedham to serve customers in the Boston area and surrounding region. Bank of America homeownership retention specialists will be meeting face to face with financially troubled mortgage customers who are having difficulty making their monthly payments. Dedicated associates also are available to help customers facing hardship with their auto, credit cards and personal loans.

BOSTON, MA - July 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court against Helen M. McCarthy, of Boxford, and her son James F. McCarthy, of Laconia, New Hampshire, alleging that they illegally altered and filled protected wetlands and dumped solid waste throughout a large parcel of land in Saugus.The McCarthys have for at least a decade maintained an illegal dumping ground and permitted ongoing wetlands violations at Pennsylvania Avenue, a property that borders Saugus, Wakefield and Lynnfield, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed yesterday, seeks a permanent injunction requiring the McCarthys to restore and remediate the site. The lawsuit is also asking the court to impose penalties on the defendants for violating state laws designed to protect the environment.

BOSTON, MA - July 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The owner of coastal property and an island in Fairhaven will restore wetlands on both the mainland and island parcels that were damaged by clear-cutting and wall construction projects conducted in violation of state laws designed to protect natural resources, Attorney General Martha Coakley and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced today.Carlos A. Pereira will restore the wetlands and pay a $38,000 civil penalty, $18,000 of which will be waived if he complies with the terms of the consent judgment entered yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court. Under the terms of the settlement, Pereira will also make a $2,000 contribution to the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Buzzards Bay watershed.

BROCKTON, MA - July 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Marshfield woman has been arraigned in connection with allegedly trying to delay or avoid foreclosure of a home mortgage by falsely reporting the death of a child to her mortgage company, and thereafter knowingly falsifying information in an affidavit filed in Brockton Superior Court, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced.Donna Larson, age 52, was arraigned today in Brockton Superior Court on charges of Attempted Larceny and Perjury. Larson pled not guilty before Judge Joseph M. Walker III and was released on personal recognizance.

Bedford, MA - July 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- An independent, full-service real estate brokerage specializing in the suburbs north of Boston, MA, Clayton Realty Group was started with a vision that buying and selling real estate should be a wonderful experience, accessible to everyone and without any smoke and mirrors

WASHINGTON, DC - July 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement resolving its lawsuit against the Fitchburg, Mass., Housing Authority and its executive director, Robert W. Hill. The lawsuit alleged that the Fitchburg Housing Authority and Hill violated the Fair Housing Act by adopting and implementing policies that denied tenants with disabilities other than mobility impairments the opportunity to transfer between apartments within Fitchburg’s public housing neighborhoods.

WALTHAM, MA - July 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the number of single-family homes put under agreement in June were down 16.0 percent over the same time last year, while condominiums were down 21.0 percent. This is the second month in a row that the number of both single-family homes and condominiums put under agreement has decreased compared to the year before.

BROCKTON, MA - July 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Marshfield woman has been indicted in connection with allegedly trying to delay or avoid foreclosure of a home mortgage by falsely reporting the death of a child to her mortgage company, and thereafter knowingly falsifying information in an affidavit filed in Brockton Superior Court, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced.A Plymouth County Grand Jury returned indictments against Donna Larson, age 52, on charges of Attempted Larceny and Perjury