Georgia RealEstateRama

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its eighth-annual “Top Cities” list, which ranks the 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star certified commercial buildings in the preceding calendar year with Atlanta ranking fourth. The Top Cities list illustrates how cities across America are embracing energy efficiency as a proven path to financial savings and a healthier environment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 149 businesses and organizations in 35 states for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements.

The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District) has been named a Fulcrum Award winner by Southface in recognition of the tremendous progress the region has made in water conservation and stewardship.

Mayor Kasim Reed and the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution to issue up to $150,000,000 in lease purchase revenue bonds to finance major renovations to the Georgia-Pacific building in downtown Atlanta. Georgia-Pacific will reconfigure 23 floors of its headquarters building. The company cited the ability to acquire, reconstruct and install the improvements as a major factor in its decision to maintain 2,600 employees in Atlanta and add up to 600 new jobs.

Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) today voted for and the House passed H.Res. 639, legislation authorizing the Speaker to file an amicus brief on behalf of the House of Representatives in the court case Texas v. United States, in which 26 states, including Georgia, sued the Obama administration over its program to extend legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.

U.S. Congressmen Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia), and Brad Ashford (D-Nebraska) introduced The Small Public Housing Agency Opportunity Act of 2016 (H.R. 4816), bipartisan legislation addressing the administrative burdens facing small and rural housing authorities across the country

Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) today voted for and the House passed H.Res. 639, legislation authorizing the Speaker to file an amicus brief on behalf of the House of Representatives in the court case Texas v. United States, in which 26 states, including Georgia, sued the Obama administration over its program to extend legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.

The Atlanta Board of REALTORS® (ABR), the largest association of its kind in Georgia, released its February 2016 Market Brief on residential housing statistics for 11 area counties in metro-Atlanta. Market Brief, now compiled by First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS), provides the only regionally focused synopsis of monthly sales and home prices for single family residential properties.

The Atlanta Board of REALTORS® premier event of the year, the annual Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club Banquet was held March 4th at the Georgia Aquarium. The sold out event brought together nearly 1,000 of the finest in the Atlanta real estate industry to celebrate the 2015 Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club (MMDSC).

he City of Atlanta announced today that City Lights, a new senior housing development which the Department of Planning and Community Development Office of Housing contributed $300,000 in federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds to help complete, received GOLD status for 2016 Best 55+ Affordable Rental Community by the National Association of Builders (NAHB). The award was presented recently during the NAHB International Builders' Show in Las Vegas. The annual program recognizes excellence and innovation in the design, development, lifestyle and marketing of housing.

Mayor Kasim Reed announced today that the Atlanta Housing Authority’s (AHA) Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to approve an amendment to its Fiscal Year 2016 Moving to Work Plan. The amendment authorizes the transfer of land from AHA to the City of Atlanta, which will enable the City to deliver a tract of land to the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) under the terms of the recent agreement concerning the Atlanta BeltLine. The agreement requires the transfer of a parcel of land from the City of Atlanta to APS.

Under Article VI of the Housing Code, The City of Atlanta’s Code Enforcement Section of the Atlanta Police Department requires that all vacant properties be registered. Owners have 60 days from the date in which the property becomes vacant to register the property, 90 days to register a transferred vacant property. Registration is $100.00 per vacant real property.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) has issued the following statement on Congressional Republicans’ amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in support of the plaintiffs in State of West Virginia et al v. EP

Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (Ga-01) released the following statement today regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to halt a controversial energy rule proposed in the Obama Administration’s climate agenda:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice Meeting (EJ IWG) on Thursday, February 18, 2016 in the Sam Nunn Federal Building in Atlanta, GA. The EJ IWG will bring together a host of federal, state, and local agencies, along with community residents and other key stakeholders to specifically focus on issues affecting the North Birmingham area