As the federal government props up the finances of mortgage giant Fannie Mae and struggles to restructure the nation’s mortgage finance system, federal agencies are also re-examining their criteria for mortgages within condominium associations.
Recently, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has indicated that it may revisit its most recent set of requirements for financing purchases within condominium associations. CAI has expressed ongoing concerns that the current set of guidelines found in FHA Mortgagee Letter 2009-46(b) are not optimum measures of an association’s financial health.
In response to the possibility that FHA will revisit its condominium mortgage criteria, CAI has submitted a set of recommendations to FHA on improving its mortgage qualification process. Specifically, CAI is urging FHA to rethink its delinquency criteria, its owner occupancy criteria, commercial space limitations along with several insurance mandates. Read CAI’s letter.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Fairfax County Celebrates National Pet Week
Fairfax County will celebrate National Pet Week from May 2 – 8, 2010. The theme of the week is “Pets and People—Healthy Together.” The goal of highlighting the week is to encourage people and their pets to get active and remain fit.
A proclamation set forth by Board of Supervisor Chairman Sharon Bulova notes that obesity among pets and people are on the rise. According to the American Obesity Society, 65 percent of American adults are overweight or obese. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention states that 44 percent of dogs and 57 percent of cats in the United States are obese. Obesity can cause major health issues in both people and their pets, including osteoarthritis, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer.
To prevent obesity in pets:
· Consult your vet about your pet’s obesity to rule out any medical issues that could be causing weight gain.
· Work with your vet to learn how many calories your pet should be eating daily and stick within those guidelines. Limit the amount of food your pet eats or switch to a lower calorie food with your vet’s counsel.
· Learn how many calories are in treats and avoid excessive caloric intake through treats. For example, if a 50 pound dog needs between 700 – 900 calories a day, some dog bones contain 600 calories—nearly a large dog’s entire daily caloric intake!
· Move more. Take longer walks, play fetch, go on a hike or to the dog park. For cats, encourage play for 10 minutes daily with feather toys, paper bags or laser pointers.
· Move your pet’s food bowl to a location in the home that requires more movement—upstairs, for example.
· Separate animals in multi-pet households for feeding if only one pet needs a weight-reduction diet.
· Visit the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention Web site at http://www.petobesityprevention.com for weight and calorie guidelines and treat information.
A proclamation set forth by Board of Supervisor Chairman Sharon Bulova notes that obesity among pets and people are on the rise. According to the American Obesity Society, 65 percent of American adults are overweight or obese. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention states that 44 percent of dogs and 57 percent of cats in the United States are obese. Obesity can cause major health issues in both people and their pets, including osteoarthritis, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer.
To prevent obesity in pets:
· Consult your vet about your pet’s obesity to rule out any medical issues that could be causing weight gain.
· Work with your vet to learn how many calories your pet should be eating daily and stick within those guidelines. Limit the amount of food your pet eats or switch to a lower calorie food with your vet’s counsel.
· Learn how many calories are in treats and avoid excessive caloric intake through treats. For example, if a 50 pound dog needs between 700 – 900 calories a day, some dog bones contain 600 calories—nearly a large dog’s entire daily caloric intake!
· Move more. Take longer walks, play fetch, go on a hike or to the dog park. For cats, encourage play for 10 minutes daily with feather toys, paper bags or laser pointers.
· Move your pet’s food bowl to a location in the home that requires more movement—upstairs, for example.
· Separate animals in multi-pet households for feeding if only one pet needs a weight-reduction diet.
· Visit the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention Web site at http://www.petobesityprevention.com for weight and calorie guidelines and treat information.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
City of Alexandria Planning Meeting
The City of Alexandria will hold a Housing Master Plan Community Meeting TONIGHT Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Charles Houston Recreation Center at 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA in the multipurpose room. The community meeting will be immediately preceded by a meeting of the Housing Master Plan Advisory Group (as part of the 6:30-7pm Affordable Housing Advisory Committee) for a brief discussion of the group's mission and role in the Housing Master Plan process.
Tonight’s meeting topic is "Defining the Challenge." To set the stage for the Housing Master Plan process and topics of future meetings, staff will present data illustrating current affordable housing supply and demand, as well as data and (where feasible) projections about population, employment and commuting patterns. Major findings and recommendations from the Affordable Housing Initiatives Work Group will also be presented.
We invite and encourage all Alexandrians to participate in the Housing Master Plan process to establish a comprehensive vision to inform and shape future development with the goals of preserving and enhancing affordable housing opportunities, community diversity, and economic sustainability. An Advisory Group comprised of the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee plus an additional six appointees will spearhead the Housing Master Plan effort and will meet monthly. All meetings are open to the public and participation by all is encouraged.
How do I learn more about the Housing Plan? For additional information, please visit the City’s Housing Master Plan webpage at: www.alexandriava.gov/housingplan or contact the Office of Housing at 703-746-4990. Staff contact: Carrie Beach carrie.beach@alexandriava.gov
Tonight’s meeting topic is "Defining the Challenge." To set the stage for the Housing Master Plan process and topics of future meetings, staff will present data illustrating current affordable housing supply and demand, as well as data and (where feasible) projections about population, employment and commuting patterns. Major findings and recommendations from the Affordable Housing Initiatives Work Group will also be presented.
We invite and encourage all Alexandrians to participate in the Housing Master Plan process to establish a comprehensive vision to inform and shape future development with the goals of preserving and enhancing affordable housing opportunities, community diversity, and economic sustainability. An Advisory Group comprised of the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee plus an additional six appointees will spearhead the Housing Master Plan effort and will meet monthly. All meetings are open to the public and participation by all is encouraged.
How do I learn more about the Housing Plan? For additional information, please visit the City’s Housing Master Plan webpage at: www.alexandriava.gov/housingplan or contact the Office of Housing at 703-746-4990. Staff contact: Carrie Beach carrie.beach@alexandriava.gov
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