Housing & Development

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) announced the election of G. Granger MacDonald to FHLB Dallas’ Board of Directors (Board). Mr. MacDonald was elected by the Board to fill an independent director seat that was vacated in April. He will serve out the remainder of the term for that seat, which expires December 31, 2017.

A new study from The University of Texas at Austin and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) finds that new homes in Texas built to meet green building standards like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the world’s most widely used green building rating system, are worth an average of $25,000 more in resale value than conventional homes

Michael Cowen helps homeowners with inspections so they can buy windstorm insurance. He drives hundreds of miles and spends hours on the phone each week talking with homeowners, contractors, and local building officials about inspection requirements.

A new multi-partner playa restoration program, the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative, is offering participating landowners free backfilling of pits and trenches in playas surrounded by grass.

The Presidential Permit for the Presidio-Ojinaga infrastructure project in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas was approved this week, indicating final approval of a long and tedious process to widen the local Port of Entry one lane in either direction to accommodate 18-wheelers. Due to the efforts of Congressman Will Hurd alongside local officials, the long-planned expansion initiative will strengthen cross-border trade between the U.S. and Mexico and position Presidio as an efficient and cost-effective transit hub for imports and exports. Receiving the permit is the last hurdle before construction may begin. LASIK Houston

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee released the following statement announcing today that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Houston-Downtown a $497,413 grant to implement its Upward Bound Program to provide students with the skills and motivation necessary to enter and succeed in a program of postsecondary education

A redevelopment plan for a Chicago site presented by a team from the University of Texas at Austin has taken top honors in the 2017 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Hines Student Competition, an ideas competition that provides graduate students the opportunity to devise a comprehensive design and development scheme for a large-scale site in an urban area. Members of the team were awarded a first-place prize of $50,000 after the conclusion of the competition on April 6.

Remodeler Dan Bawden, CAPS, GMB, CGR, CGP, of Houston, was installed as the 2017 chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers on Jan. 10 during the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla. As chairman of NAHB Remodelers, Bawden represents the more than 53,000 members of NAHB who are involved in the remodeling industry

Luis Jauregui, owner of Jauregui Inc. in Austin, Texas, has been honored as the Custom Home Builder of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Custom Home Builders Committee. Sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, the award was presented at a luncheon today in Orlando, Fla. at the NAHB International Builders’ Show

Congressman Marc Veasey introduced H.R. 6320, the Give Veterans Home Loan Choices Act, to ensure our nation’s veterans are provided all the loan options available to them so that they can make a well-informed decision when selecting a home loan for their families.

U.S. Representative Will Hurd is pleased to announce the selection of the Marathon Water Supply and Sewer Service Corporation (WS&SS) for two grants totaling more than $230,000 for water improvement projects

Understanding Texas private landowner needs, preferences and concerns in operating and managing their land and natural resources is the purpose of a brief online questionnaire developed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Private Lands Advisory Committee in partnership with Texas A&M University Institute of Renewable Natural Resources

Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) today hosted a discussion with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and state and local organizations in Laredo to come up with strategies to end homelessness among children and veterans in Laredo and Webb County

In response to discouraging changes to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that removed vital support for our nation’s ports Congressman Ted Poe (TX- 02) and Congressman Gene Green (TX-29) issued the following statements. The House is expected to vote on WRDA next week.

Allegation: The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Martin Marietta Materials Inc. after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that the employer violated the Family Medical Leave Act. Investigators from the division’s San Antonio District Office found that Martin Marietta wrongfully denied the complainant the right to reinstatement by refusing to restore him to his original position, or by offering an equivalent position within the company

San Antonio, TX - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) renewed $4,040,000.00 of federal funding for...

Texas home sales purchased by international homebuyers added more than $10 billion to the Texas economy from April 2015 and March 2016, according to the Texas International Homebuyers Report released today by the Texas Association of REALTORS

Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced a $3,279,208.00 grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) for the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The DOE funding will support an SwRI project to make coal-based power generation more efficient, cleaner, and less expensive. SwRI is collaborating on the project – entitled “Pre-Project Planning for a Flameless Pressurized Oxy-combustion Pilot Plant” – with ITEA S.p.A., Jacobs, the Electric Power Research Institute, General Electric Global Research, and Peter Reineck Associates

AUSTIN, TEXAS - Austin Mayor Steve Adler was joined by U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro Friday...

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission today adopted new regulations for the statewide oyster fishery that reduce commercial possession limits and establish additional harvest restrictions. The new rules affect both the recreational and commercial harvest of oysters.