Regions

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorPortland, Ore.–Guardian Management LLC, in conjunction with the Oregon Public Health Division, recently surveyed residents at 17 of its federally subsidized rental communities regarding its no-smoking policy and found a majority of the respondents are satisfied with the ban while also experiencing a reduction in second-hand-smoke exposure. Guardian introduced its no-smoking policy last year.Nearly three-quarters of all residents were very or somewhat happy with the no-smoking policy. Even among smokers, 30 percent felt the same way. The survey, which has 839 reponses, also found that the percentage of non-smokers who reported never being exposed to…

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorMidland, Texas–Arbor Commercial Funding LLC recently arranged a $2,256,000 loan under the Fannie Mae DUS product line to acquire the 74-unit community known as Garden Court (pictured) Apartments in Midland, Texas.The 10-year loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule and carries a note rate of 6.68 percent with 80 percent Loan-to-Value.Guardian Signs Preliminary Agreements to Acquire 4,000-Unit PortfolioPortland, Ore.–Guardian Management LLC has signed preliminary agreements to acquire the real estate portfolio of Atherton-Newport Investments (ANI), for an undisclosed amount. ANI is a multifamily housing firm, based in Orange County Calif., which has been working under Chapter…

James D. Qualk (pictured), LEED AP, is vice president of the Sustainable Solutions Group (SSG) at SSRCx LLC, a subsidiary of Smith Seckman Reid Inc., an engineering design and facility consulting firm based in Nashville, Tenn. Of the firm’s approximately 520 employees, 64 are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professionals, and Qualk’s team of 13 is either certified or is in the process of becoming certified. Qualk is responsible for the operations management and direction of marketing and sales of sustainable consulting services, including LEED facilitation, LEED feasibility analysis and energy modeling. Qualk has presented at a…

Washington, D.C.–The National Multi Housing Council’s recently released Information Technology Investment Benchmarking Survey aims to help firms make informed decisions regarding their technology spending and staffing.”The apartment sector has embraced technology in virtually all aspects of their operations,” says Dave Cardwell, NMHC’s vice president of technology and capital markets. “They use it to recruit and retain both residents and employees.  They use it to improve their ability to serve their existing residents. And they use it to streamline their operations and reduce costs.” “While there is no right answer as to how much a firm should be investing in technology,”…

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorNew York–The New York Housing Conference (NYHC) and the National Housing Conference (NHC) will present its 35th annual awards luncheon on December 11 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City, where NYHC and NHC will honor those who continue to create and preserve affordable housing in New York and nationwide. New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is slated to attend the event where he will talk about the need for affordable housing.The recipients of this year’s awards are:Atlantic Development Group, Housing Developer Award;The New York City Housing Authority, Special Recognition Award;…

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorLong Beach, Calif.–KeyBank Real Estate Capital recently closed a $40.2 million loan for Essex Property Trust Inc. The Freddie Mac Conventional loan will be used to refinance an unspecified amount of debt for renovations made in 2007 on Pathways at Bixby Village, a 296-unit garden-style multifamily property in Long Beach, Calif.KeyBank Real Estate Capital was able to provide Essex Property Trust a range of Agency financing options through its long-standing relationships with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA. KeyBank selected the Freddie Mac product with the most competitive terms for this transaction. The loan…

Washington, D.C.–Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009, an update to the internationally recognized green building certification program, recently passed member ballot, and will be introduced in 2009 as the newest version of the existing LEED rating systems for commercial buildings. LEED 2009 includes a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes.  The program will also incorporate highly anticipated regional credits and extra points that have been identified as priorities within a project’s given environmental zone. The program has also undergone a scientifically grounded re-weighting…

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorHarlem, N.Y.–Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, in partnership with Lettire Construction, broke ground today on Tapestry, a 12-story 185-unit mixed-income residential green development at 245 East 124th St. in Harlem, N.Y.Tapestry is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-based mixed-income rental building in Harlem.Tapestry will create a Manhattan green gateway community at the foot of the Triborough Bridge that balances a mix of affordability between market-rate, middle-income and low-income apartments. The project is expected to receive a LEED Silver rating. In addition, it is designed to meet the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, and is…

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorWashington, D.C.–Existing home sales increased 2.6 percent in from the second to the third quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).Nationwide, sales of existing homes, including condos and single-family, were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million units in the third quarter, up from 4.91 million units in the second quarter, according to NAR. This number, however, is lower year-over-year by 7.7 percent compared to the 5.46 million-unit pace in the third quarter of 2007. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says conditions continue to range widely. “A pattern of sharply higher…

By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorLawrenceville, Ga.—Network Communications Inc. (NCI) has partnered with RetirementHomes.com to provide 55+ consumers with more home search options.The alliance will extend the reach of two of NCI’s publications, Mature Living Choices—a resource for the active adult and retirement lifestyle—and Senior Living Choices—targeted to those searching for senior living and assisted living services. Both guides are available in print and online.Combining NCI’s two publications with RetirementHomes.com “creates a database that is one of the largest available to that age group,” Rebecca Chandler, director of marketing at NCI, tells MHN.Through this partnership, the three websites are intermingled and…