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In late March 2020, Governor Ron Desantis put into place a statewide Florida vacation rental ban in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It had become apparent to local officials that…Atlanta Housing (AH) unveiled the rebranding of the new Choice Atlanta website and logo as well as a refresh of the AH corporate site. Both sites offer improved functionality, a streamlined, user-friendly design and greater transparency of AH products and services.
“As affordable housing evolves, and as we continue our mission of serving those in need, we took an opportunity to review our external channels of communication and identify ways to improve them,” said President and CEO Eugene Jones, Jr. “We wanted our sites to be of greater service to our families and stakeholders, and we also wanted to be able to tell our story more effectively. With these changes, we are better positioned to accomplish both of those things.” AH’s corporate site enhancements are a continuation of rebranding efforts that took place in 2018. The refresh now features more functionality, intuitive navigation and direct access to AH products and services from the landing page. Visitors can stay in the know through an events and happenings page, and the site increases transparency around public meetings and other announcements, and program rollouts. Also, the site offers high-visibility blog space to highlight AH news, initiatives and success stories about AH residents and program participants.
The Choice Atlanta sites touts a full rebranding, which included a new logo and a complete website redesign. It contains information about the University Choice Neighborhood footprint; and it tells the history of Roosevelt Hall (named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt) and University Homes, the nation’s first public housing community for African Americans. In addition, the new Choice Atlanta site spotlights programs, services and dedicated space for news and community happenings. With quick links, multiple navigation menus and multimedia, the new site enhances user experience overall.
“Launching this new website provides a platform to share the impact of our achievements in three critical areas: Housing, People and Neighborhood,” said Ernestine Garey, senior vice president of Choice Neighborhoods. “The Choice Atlanta team works tirelessly to uplift and transform our three target neighborhoods, Atlanta University Center, Ashview Heights and Vine City. Since receiving the $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant in 2015, we are well on our way to producing 506 units of mixed income housing, increasing average family incomes and improving educational outcomes for students of all ages.”
R. K. Redding Construction Founder & CEO Randall Redding has been named as the recipient of the prestigious Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC Georgia) Skill, Integrity & Responsibility (SIR) Award. AGC Georgia, the leading association for the construction industry, bestows this honor annually to recognize individuals for a lifetime of exemplary service and substantial contributions to the construction industry, the AGC organization and their community. Redding will receive the award during a virtual ceremony on Friday, June 12, 2020.
“Randall personifies everything that one can ask of a mentor, professional, leader and friend,” said Mike Dunham, CEO of AGC Georgia. “He has dedicated his career to making a difference in the construction industry and is deserving of this lifetime award – even though he prefers to not be singled out for recognition.”
RKR has prospered under Redding’s guiding philosophy of putting customer service above all else. Today, the general contractor and construction management firm is licensed in seven southeastern states, with more than 50 full-time employees.
Both at RKR and during his terms on the AGC Georgia Board of Directors and service as association president, Redding has focused on workforce development and finding solutions to help students find a path for future success. The firm was instrumental in working with the state of Georgia to introduce intentional career exploration options into public school systems statewide.
He recently served as the chairman of the Grow Haralson Cooperative and is a board member of the West Georgia Joint Development Authority, UWG Foundation and Tanner Foundation. He also served as chair of the UWG Foundation and the school’s chair on the building committee that oversaw much of the new construction on campus.
For more information about AGC Georgia, please visit www.agcga.org.
The Fannie Mae (OTCQB: FNMA) Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI)increased 4.5 points in May to 67.5, building slightly after nearing its all-time survey low in April. Four of the six HPSI components increased month over month, with consumers reporting a somewhat more optimistic view of homebuying conditions and, to a lesser extent, home-selling conditions. Moreover, fewer consumers reported expectations that mortgage rates will go up over the next 12 months. Year over year, the HPSI is down 24.5 points.
“Although the HPSI’s precipitous declines of March and April did not continue in May, Americans’ financial, economic, and housing market concerns remain substantially elevated compared to survey history,” said Doug Duncan, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “Low mortgage rates have helped cushion some of the impact of the pandemic on consumer sentiment regarding whether it’s a good time to buy a home, which picked back up this month to late-2018 levels. Although weakened income perceptions and continuing job loss concerns, particularly among renters, are likely weighing on many would-be buyers, purchase mortgage applications have returned to mid-March levels when pandemic response measures began ramping up. Home-selling sentiment remains severely dampened due primarily to economic concerns, though increased purchase activity may improve the confidence of some potential sellers. As lockdown restrictions begin to ease across the country, we expect economic recovery to be largely shaped by consumers’ decisions regarding when and how to reengage in the economy. We believe this month’s HPSI results and Friday’s unexpectedly favorable labor market report to be encouraging signs for the months ahead.”
Home Purchase Sentiment Index – Component Highlights
Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased in May by 4.5 points to 67.5. The HPSI is down 24.5 points compared to the same time last year. Read the full research report for additional information.
Good/Bad Time to Buy: The percentage of Americans who say it is a good time to buy a home increased from 48% to 52%, while the percentage who say it is a bad time to buy decreased from 46% to 39%. As a result, the net share of Americans who say it is a good time to buy increased 11 percentage points.
Good/Bad Time to Sell: The percentage of Americans who say it is a good time to sell a home increased from 29% to 32%, while the percentage who say it’s a bad time to sell decreased from 65% to 62%. As a result, the net share of those who say it is a good time to sell increased 6 percentage points.
Home Price Expectations: The percentage of Americans who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months increased this month from 23% to 26%, while the percentage who said home prices will go down increased from 34% to 35%. The share who think home prices will stay the same decreased from 36% to 30%. As a result, the net share of Americans who say home prices will go up increased 2 percentage points.
Mortgage Rate Expectations: The percentage of Americans who say mortgage rates will go down in the next 12 months increased this month from 23% to 25%, while the percentage who expect mortgage rates to go up decreased from 33% to 25%. The share who think mortgage rates will stay the same increased from 35% to 43%. As a result, the net share of Americans who say mortgage rates will go down over the next 12 months increased 10 percentage points.
Job Concerns: The percentage of Americans who say they are not concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months decreased from 76% to 75%, while the percentage who say they are concerned increased from 23% to 24%. As a result, the net share of Americans who say they are not concerned about losing their job decreased 2 percentage points.
Household Income: The percentage of Americans who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago decreased from 20% to 18%, while the percentage who say their household income is significantly lower decreased from 21% to 19%. The percentage who say their household income is about the same increased from 58% to 61%. As a result, the net share of those who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago remained unchanged.
About Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index
The Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) distills information about consumers’ home purchase sentiment from Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey® (NHS) into a single number. The HPSI reflects consumers’ current views and forward-looking expectations of housing market conditions and complements existing data sources to inform housing-related analysis and decision making. The HPSI is constructed from answers to six NHS questions that solicit consumers’ evaluations of housing market conditions and address topics that are related to their home purchase decisions. The questions ask consumers whether they think that it is a good or bad time to buy or to sell a house, what direction they expect home prices and mortgage interest rates to move, how concerned they are about losing their jobs, and whether their incomes are higher than they were a year earlier.
About Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey
The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey (NHS) polled approximately 1,000 Americans via live telephone interview to assess their attitudes toward owning and renting a home, home and rental price changes, homeownership distress, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence. Homeowners and renters are asked more than 100 questions used to track attitudinal shifts, six of which are used to construct the HPSI (findings are compared with the same survey conducted monthly beginning June 2010). As cell phones have become common and many households no longer have landline phones, the NHS contacts 70 percent of respondents via their cell phones (as of January 2018). For more information, please see the Technical Notes. Fannie Mae conducts this survey and shares monthly and quarterly results so that we may help industry partners and market participants target our collective efforts to stabilize the housing market in the near-term, and provide support in the future. The May 2020 National Housing Survey was conducted between May 1, 2020 and May 19, 2020. Most of the data collection occurred during the first two weeks of this period. Interviews were conducted by PSB, in coordination with Fannie Mae.
Detailed HPSI & NHS Findings
For detailed findings from the May 2020 Home Purchase Sentiment Index and National Housing Survey, as well as a brief HPSI overview and detailed white paper, technical notes on the NHS methodology, and questions asked of respondents associated with each monthly indicator, please visit the Surveys page on fanniemae.com. Also available on the site are in-depth special topic studies, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies of NHS results.
To receive e-mail updates with other housing market research from Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group, please click here.
Davidson Holding Company, which owns the rapidly growing, Huntsville-based home builder Davidson Homes, today announced it has launched EverGreen Living, a new division that will build single-family rental (SFR) communities in the Southeast. EverGreen Living, which has already purchased land in Huntsville for SFR development, plans to build 4,000 homes – between 800 and 1,000 annually – during the next five years in multiple markets in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
“EverGreen Living marks an exciting new phase in the expansion of our company,” said Adam Davidson, founder, president and CEO of Davidson Holding Company. “We are eager to serve the growing number of people who want to live in new, expertly built rental homes in neighborhoods where the quality of life is exceptional. The build-for-rental industry will see significant growth in the future as young families and Baby Boomers look for housing alternatives that offer the best of class A apartments and the amenities of living in single-family homes in resort-style communities.”
EverGreen Living will build in markets where Davidson Homes already has a presence, including the greater Huntsville area, Middle Tennessee, the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina and the Atlanta metropolitan area. Each SFR community will have 150-250 homes and feature amenities that include a private yard, hard-surface and tile floors, stainless steel appliances and access to a clubhouse, swimming pool and walking trails.
Rental prices will range between $1,200 and $2,000 per month. Home sizes will be around 800-1,000 square feet for a one-bedroom home; 1,000-1,200 square feet for a two-bedroom home, and 1,300-1,400 square feet for a three-bedroom home.
To lead the company’s new division, Davidson Holding Company has named Creighton Call as president of EverGreen Living. A veteran with nearly 13 years of experience acquiring, capitalizing and developing large- and small-scale commercial and residential properties, Call will be based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I am thrilled to be working with Adam and am honored to lead EverGreen Living’s entry and expansion in the single-family rental and community development business,” said Call. “Adam and I share the same passion and vision for the company, and I look forward to growing a business that will become a leader in this rapidly growing segment of the home building industry.”
Before joining EverGreen Living, Call served in senior development positions, leading acquisition and development of mixed-use communities for Crescent Communities and Hines throughout the Southeast. During that time, he managed the entitlement and development of 15 mixed-use communities totaling 9,000 residential lots, 4,000 multi-family units and several million square feet of commercial development. Most recently, he was vice president of development for Flywheel Group in Charlotte. In that role, he led the development efforts for a large transit-oriented development in Charlotte.
Call earned his master’s degree in real estate development from Auburn University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Ohio University. He also is a member of the board of managers for the Johnston YMCA in Charlotte.
For more information, visit evergreenliving.com.
Abacode, one of the fastest growing Cybersecurity and Compliance firms in the United States, announced a collaboration with Atlanta-based Apptega, a leader in cybersecurity management software.
“Abacode continues to innovate and partner with great technology companies,” said Greg Chevalier, SVP Partners and Sales Strategy for Abacode. “The Abacode – Apptega partnership allows Apptega to deliver cybersecurity management and compliance software integrated into Abacode’s full spectrum of cybersecurity solutions and services including managed cyber threat detection and response (MDR), governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), vulnerability assessments and digital forensics. Together, we’re providing game-changing value to clients that wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration and capabilities of Abacode’s holistic offering and Apptega’s industry-leading software.”
The Apptega platform, combined with Abacode’s holistic Design, Implement, Manage and Reporting capabilities will also provide clients with program-level financial forecasting so they have a full understanding of the spend options available for their cybersecurity and compliance initiatives.
The Abacode – Apptega partnership brings cybersecurity services forward especially for companies on the path of implementing a transformational cybersecurity and compliance program.
“We are delighted to partner with Abacode, an award-winning managed security service provider ranked among the top 100 MSSPs worldwide,” said Armistead Whitney, CEO of Apptega. “The Apptega platform highly compliments Abacode’s full suite of cybersecurity solutions and services in one easy-to-deploy package. We’re really excited to grow the market together.”
The national call to “defund the police” during the ongoing racial injustice protests has sparked heated debate for and against, not to mention confusion about what the term actually means.
Early Wednesday morning, a group of protesters spray-painted “Defund Police” on the street in front of the Atlanta Police Department’s headquarters in Downtown.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said during her weekly conference call with the Atlanta City Council on June 10 that “defunding the police” doesn’t mean to get rid of cops and police departments. Rather, it’s about reallocating funding to social services and community enhancement initiatives led by trained professionals instead of officers.
“We are already reallocating around 50 percent of our corrections budgets into those specific areas,” Bottoms said. “We’ve been doing this work over the last couple of years and have been thoughtful on how we spend this money.”
Bottoms said putting public safety costs into community initiatives and closing the city jail were part of that “proactively thoughtful” plan. She said the bulk of APD’s budget goes toward salaries, pensions, workers compensation, and capital costs.
In related news, Bottoms said that the advisory committee she established on the APD’s use-of-force was having its first meeting on June 10 and a final report should be ready in 45 days. Two APD officers were fired and four others charged with using excessive force while arresting two college students on May 30.
Bottoms also said the city’s economic development agency, Invest Atlanta, will offer grants to small businesses damaged in recent vandalism, looting, and arson seen during the early days of the protests.
Businesses can receive grants up to $10,000, which can be used to reimburse an insurance deductible or pay directly for damages that cost less than the deductible. Initial funding will be targeted at businesses with one to nine employees and annual revenues of $300,000 or less. For full details and more information, see the Invest Atlanta website here.
The mayor also, once again, urged those who had participated in the protests to get tested for COVID-19.
John Ruch contributed to this report.
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What a Google Breakup Will Look Like
What Will Google Look Like after it is Broken Up? Forecast: Google will be broken up. Why? It’s the only viable solution to stop a Trillion dollar company from dominating everything it wants, undermining small business and competition, because it can. But don’t feel sorry for Google. The founders got to live their dream and…
After Georgia voters mailed in an unprecedented 1.1 million absentee ballots and chaos at the polls, the June 9 primary election is finally offering up some winners.
Democrat John Ossoff avoided a runoff to advance to the November general election and face Republican David Purdue for the U.S Senate.
Incumbent Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard will face his former employee, Fani Willis, in his bid for reelection, in the Aug. 11 runoff.
Similarly, Fulton Sheriff Ted Jackson has a commanding lead over his four opponents, but still short of the 50 pecent plus one vote necessary to avoid a runoff. He’ll face Patrick “Pat” Labat in August..
In the Georgia Supreme Court race, incumbent Charlie Bethel fended off a challenge from Beth Beskin, while incumbent Sarah Warren bested Hal Moroz.
You can see all the official election numbers for Fulton County at this link and for DeKalb County at this link.
The results came after what some officials termed a “meltdown” at the local polls.
In Fulton and DeKalb counties, long lines due to a reduced number of poll locations, long lines due to COVID-19 social distancing, malfunctioning machines, poll worker confusion, and not enough provisional ballots outraged voters. Polls were kept open until 9 p.m. in Fulton, while at least one station in DeKalb was open past 10 p.m.
While voters decried the broken process and expressed grave concerns about voter suppression on social media, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger blamed ineptness on county election officials and said his office would investigate.
Local officials placed the blame squarely on Raffensperger, including DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond.
Local leaders pushed back on the secretary of state’s comments, including DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. “The Election Day issues relating to the use of state-purchased voting machines represent an attack on the democratic process. The Secretary of State’s office has alleged these issues resulted from a failure of county leadership. If there was a failure of leadership, it starts where the buck should stop, at the top. The eradication of any ‘learning curve’ rests squarely at the feet of the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his office,” Thurmond said in a statement.
The post UPDATE: Ossoff avoids runoff, but Fulton DA and Sheriff headed to Aug. 11 rematch appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
You’ve probably seen the WE’LL BUY YOUR HOME – ANY CONDITION or WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH signs around your neighborhood. If you want to sell your house fast, selling…