Baltimore casino hit with RICO lawsuit
Baltimore and the city’s Horseshoe casino accepted federal housing funds aimed at giving a leg up to minority businesses and low-income individuals but then failed to award contracts for a significant portion of the construction of the $400 million casino to disadvantaged businesses, according to a federal lawsuit. The allegations in the complaint, which was […]
Walker & Dunlop buys loan business
Walker & Dunlop, of Bethesda, a provider of commercial real estate financing services, announced it has a deal to acquire Johnson Capital’s loan origination and servicing business. Johnson Capital, a commercial real estate mortgage company, has originated $1.3 billion in commercial loans on average over the past three years. Walker & Dunlop will add about […]
HUD awards Md. $19M in Superstorm Sandy aid
EASTON — The Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding $19 million in aid to Maryland communities hit by Superstorm Sandy. Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown will announce the funding through the Community Development Block Grant program on Monday morning in Easton. The funds are meant to be flexible aid that […]
Opinions – 10/17/11: Maryland Court of Appeals
Administrative Law Contested case hearings BOTTOM LINE: Prior to the termination of housing assistance benefits administered pursuant to the Section 8 housing program, the Department of Housing and Community Development must, upon request, provide a “contested case” hearing. CASE: Walker v. Department of Housing and Community Development, No. 97 Sept. Term 2010 (filed Sept. 23, […]
ShopRite comes to Timonium, Lutherville strip mall for sale, tidbits and more
The shelves will once again be stocked in the grocery at Fairgrounds Plaza in Timonium as a new ShopRite moves in next week. The 57,000-square-foot anchor in the plaza at 37 West Aylesbury Road where the former Super Fresh once lived will have its grand opening July 31. A soft open is scheduled for July […]
Robert Nusgart: Feds getting new good-faith estimate right
Finally, they might be getting it right. As a part of the sweeping changes to the mortgage industry, the federal government about two years ago stepped in and decided to redesign the good-faith estimate form that all lenders are required to give borrowers. Now the government is moving steadily toward a new, more friendly disclosure […]
Melody Simmons’ real estate notebook
The Strata Group this week formed a foreclosure unit that will specialize in “all aspects of transforming bank-owned properties into assets for homebuyers and investors in Central Maryland.” The group will offer comprehensive services to entities that control foreclosed properties, including banks, asset managers, and government-sponsored entities (HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac), said Billy[...]
Baltimore loses federal lead abatement funding
Federal officials say mismanagement has cost Baltimore funding for its lead paint abatement programs. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials tell The Baltimore Sun that the city was deemed a “high-risk” grantee ineligible for more funds after the city health department didn’t fix up enough homes under the latest $4 million grant. HUD […]
Post-foreclosure challenge came too late
A former homeowner cannot undo a foreclosure sale based on her government-insured lender’s failure to comply with HUD-required loan mitigation efforts in the absence of fraud, Maryland’s top court held Thursday. The unanimous Court of Appeals said people in foreclosure must raise the issue of the lender’s failure to hold mitigation discussions in court proceedings […]