Yearly Archives: 2014

Homeowners, renters and business owners in Aransas and San Patricio counties in Texas are encouraged to look over newly-released preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. today announced two recent decisions in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Both decisions affirmed MERS’ role as mortgagee, as well as the validity of its assignments.

On Friday, May 23, 2014, Congressman Al Green released the following statement on the nomination of San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro to be the Director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Mayor Annise Parker and Harry J. Hayes, Director of the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD), are pleased to announce the addition of 62,000 to the City’s popular automated curbside recycling program. As part of the expansion, residents in neighborhoods throughout Houston will receive a new 96-gallon green automated cart similar to the black automated garbage cart they already have. The green carts will take paper, plastics, metals and glass out of the waste stream.

Today, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to pass an amended version of H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act authored by Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) and Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). The bill will create a structural process for the approval of cross-border oil pipelines and electric transmission facilities while protecting the environment, creating jobs and providing businesses certainty

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today called into question the federal Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) potential seizure of land that rightfully belongs to Texas landowners. In a strongly worded letter to BLM Director Neil Kornze, Attorney General Abbott said

Mayor Annise Parker announced today that the number of chronically homeless individuals living on the streets of downtown Houston has decreased by 30 percent in just one year and 50 percent over the past two years. More than 1,400 at-risk individuals have been placed into safe, stable, supportive housing only two years after the announcement of her goal to end chronic homelessness in Houston

MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. today announced that the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, yesterday granted MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. motion for summary judgment of the final remaining claim in a recording fee case filed by Dallas, Harris and Brazoria Counties, Texas

Commissioner of Insurance Julia Rathgeber has appointed Tiffany Reiner, CPCU, CIC, CRM, of Richardson to serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association for a term to expire December 31, 2015. The board oversees the Association’s guarantee of performance of contractual obligations arising from property and casualty insurance policies issued to or benefiting Texas residents

Researchers continuously monitor an ever-evolving Texas economic landscape. A new online report from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University reveals which important economic indicators are being monitored and why

On Thursday, January 23rd, the Office of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) will host a free video conference for local government officials, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and non-profits to learn about the State and Federal Surplus Property Programs, which donate or sell used government equipment.

The United States has settled a housing discrimination lawsuit in Euless, Texas, concerning discrimination against persons of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent, the Justice Department announced today. Under the agreement, defendants in United States v. Stonebridge at Bear Creek LLP et al will pay a total of $107,000 in civil penalties and $210,000 in a damages fund to compensate victims of the defendants’ discrimination identified during the term of the agreement.

Houston City Council today approved another five percent increase in the Houston Residential Energy Conservation Code. With this increase the local minimum energy efficiency requirements for new construction of one and two family homes, townhouses and apartments up to three stories in height is 15 percent above what is mandated by state law. This is the third year in a row the local code has been increased by five percent