Yearly Archives: 2009

September 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chief Justice Leigh I. Saufley announced that on September 23, 2009 the York County Pilot Project of the Foreclosure Diversion Program will hold its first informational session for homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure. The York County Pilot Project and the Foreclosure Diversion Program are the result of the recently enacted P.L. 2009, ch. 402, An Act To Preserve Home Ownership and Stabilize the Economy by Preventing Unnecessary Foreclosures. In accordance with the new law, the Supreme Judicial Court will establish a statewide program to provide mediation services in certain residential foreclosure actions in Maine. Although the Act requires that the mediation program be available statewide in 2010, the Court launched the Pilot Project on August 3, 2009, in York County to gain a better understanding before the Diversion Program is offered throughout the State. This first informational session will be held at the District Court in Springvale

Washington, D.C. - September 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today announced that $4.3 million in federal funding for projects in Maine has been included in the fiscal year (FY) 2010 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill, which passed the Senate today by a vote of 73 to 25.

AUGUSTA, ME - September 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Maine homeowners receiving a recorded phone message from someone telling them to call "Maine Housing Authority" to help with foreclosure or to refinance their mortgage may be victims of a scam, state housing officials warned today

AUGUSTA, ME - August 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. John E. Baldacci today announced that the Maine Forest Service, under the Maine Department of Conservation, will receive more than $11.4 million in federal recovery funds to convert at least 15 public buildings to wood or dual-fuel heating.

PORTLAND, ME - August 12, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor John E. Baldacci today participated in the grand opening of 53 Danforth, an innovative affordable and workforce housing apartment building in downtown Portland. Thirty of the 43 housing units are set aside for low-income renters.

August 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Late yesterday, U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to support a critical provision that would help accelerate the transfer of excess military property to base communities, including Brunswick. Senators Snowe and Collins were joined by 12 of their Senate colleagues, who also signed the letter. Additionally, Senator Snowe spearheaded another letter signed by a dozen Senate colleagues to leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, of which Senator Collins is a member, requesting that both committees retain a House-passed provision in Conference that would increase the utilization of no-cost economic development conveyances (EDCs) as a tool for property disposal.

AUGUSTA, ME - August 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Are you a renter looking for an apartment? Or a landlord with an apartment to rent? In either case, you may want to check out MaineHousingSearch.org – a new online easily searchable rental listing service with detailed descriptions of rentals.

Washington, D.C. - August 6, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today introduced legislation to increase the trustworthiness of the nation’s mortgage security market through the establishment of a Federal Board of Certification for mortgage securities.

Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families in 8 counties. WASHINGTON, DC - July 31, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to 8 storm-ravaged counties in Maine and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to recent severe storms, flooding and landslides.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 28, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Mike Michaud announced that Maine will receive $10,690,750 in funding for affordable housing. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1), U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) allows state housing finance agencies to resume funding of affordable rental housing projects across the nation while stimulating job creation in the hard-hit construction industry.

Augusta, ME - July 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — State regulators today issued orders directing 15 separate foreclosure rescue companies to cease doing business with Maine consumers. The companies, all located out of state, enticed consumers with radio, television and internet advertisements promising to help the consumers avoid foreclosure but then took the consumers’ advance fees and did nothing to assist the consumers.

AUGUSTA, ME - June 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — As of July 1, 2009 all new and replacement home heating oil tanks within the wellhead protection zone of community drinking water wells must be double-walled or have additional spill containment. The wellhead protection zone is the area around a well where it is most susceptible to contamination.“Protecting this area helps to keep Maine’s drinking water safe,” says Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) engineer David McCaskill. “The DEP responds, on average, to more than one spill a day from residential home heating oil tanks, and corrosion is the single largest cause.”

Combined with federal tax credits, total incentives for first time buyers can be as high as $15,000. PORTLAND, ME - June 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Governor John E. Baldacci announced today some good news for first-time homebuyers – and for Maine’s housing market. MaineHousing is starting a new “Gift of Green” homeownership initiative that provides eligible First Home program borrowers with up to $5,500 in financial incentives to purchase a home

Foreclosures and Loan Delinquencies Continue to Trend Upward but the Number of Completed Foreclosures Declines for Second Consecutive Quarter. AUGUSTA, ME - June 11, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Superintendent Lloyd P. LaFountain, III announced this week that recently completed analysis by the Bureau of Financial Institutions of first quarter 2009 data submitted by Maine-chartered banks and credit unions shows a continuing modest increase in home foreclosures in Maine.

AUGUSTA, ME - June 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed LD 1127, An Act To Define Services for Maine Runaway and Homeless Youth. The law establishes a comprehensive program for homeless youth and runaways. The Department of Health and Human Services will enter into performance-based contracts with agencies and organizations to provide street and community outreach, drop-in programs, emergency shelter and transitioning living services. Monitoring will be in place to ensure quality and track rates of homelessness.