Archives

Strong buyer demand, lower inventory push Illinois home prices higher in September

Homes sold quickly and at higher median prices in September, even as statewide home sales dipped slightly amid lower than normal housing inventory levels, according to Illinois REALTORS®. Statewide home sales (including single-family homes and condominiums) in September 2017 totaled 13,657 homes sold, down 4.0 percent from 14,223 in September 2016

CHA earns prestigious financial reporting award from Government Finance Officers Association

The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) announced today that it has been awarded the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in recognition of outstanding accounting and financial reporting and management.

Durbin, Scott, Menendez, Young, Donnelly, Duckworth Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Children In Federally-Assisted...

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) Todd Young (R-IN), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2017, which would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update its lead regulations to protect children from the risk of lead exposure.

Davis Announces Litchfield Awarded EDA Grant

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that the City of Litchfield has been awarded a $2.1 million infrastructure investment grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).

Lipinski Announces $2.25 Million Federal Grant for Midway Airport

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) has announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Midway Airport a $2.25 million grant to extend a taxiway.

Kinzinger Statement on Great Lakes Basin Rail Proposal

Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) responded to the announcement that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) had rejected the Great Lakes Basin Transportation (GLBT) rail line proposal. The rail line would have run through parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Applauding this decision, Congressman Kinzinger released the following statement:

BOST ANNOUNCES GRANT AWARD FOR INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION IN JEFFERSON COUNTY

U.S. Representative Mike Bost today announced a grant award to fund the construction of roadway improvements for industrial expansion in Mount Vernon. The project will improve access to allow current industries to ship and receive goods more efficiently, along with improving water service for the area, which will result in new higher paying jobs and additional employment throughout the region.

QUIGLEY TOURS AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDING UPGRADED WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY RENOVATIONS

This week, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) toured an affordable housing building equipped with energy efficient technology and other measures designed to cut consumers’ energy bills and make the building more comfortable for tenants. He joined Elevate Energy, as well as the building property manager and contractors, to see the facility and discuss energy efficiency and affordability in Chicago.

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $6.5 Million In Federal Funding To Help At-Risk Youth...

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded six local community colleges and non-profits in Illinois a total of $6,501,644 million through YouthBuild, a job-training and educational program for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24. 
Kreg T. Allison Headshot

New Illinois Condo Owner’s Handbook Now Available Online

Illinois condominium owners now have a comprehensive, educational guide at their fingertips thanks to a recently compiled handbook by the Illinois Condominium and Common Interest Community (CCIC) Ombudsperson, Adrienne Levatino. The Condo Unit Owner’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook provides an unbiased, objective look at Illinois law governing condominium unit owners and marks the kick-off of the Ombudsperson’s educational program aimed at informing condo owners of their rights and responsibilities.

Rush Introduces Three Bills to Address Key Issue Areas

U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) introduced three new bills that focus on key issues of the energy sector, credit reporting and home loan lenders. Rush introduced H.R. 3540, the Quadrennial Energy Review Act of 2017, H.R. 3538, the Mortgage Sale Transparency Act of 2017 and H.R. 3539, the Mugshots Elimination Act of 2017.

Durbin, Grassley, Duckworth, Bost Press HUD OIG To Complete Investigation Into Cairo Housing Crisis

U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL-12) today called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to complete its investigation into the mismanagement at the Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA) in Cairo, Illinois as soon as possible and make its findings public. In a bipartisan letter to Acting Inspector General Helen Albert, the members warned that while the OIG’s investigation is ongoing, hundreds of tenants in Cairo are being forced out of their housing units due to years of negligence and mismanagement by ACHA administrators.

Construction begins on international mega-science experiment to understand neutrinos

With the turning of a shovelful of earth a mile underground, a new era in international particle physics research officially began today. In a unique groundbreaking ceremony held this afternoon at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, a group of dignitaries, scientists and engineers from around the world marked the start of construction of a massive international experiment that could change our understanding of the universe.

Durbin Proposal To Release Brandon Road Study On Asian Carp Included In Senate Appropriations...

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $38.4 billion energy and water spending package, including a provision offered by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to release a draft plan within 30 days of the bill’s passage for keeping Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes.  This plan, referred to as the Brandon Road Study, was set to be released on February 28, 2017, but has been stalled by the Trump Administration

SOUTH SIDE TEENS SHOWCASE TALENTS AT WINDY CITY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Four teens from Chicago’s South Side are using their creativity, and an opportunity created by a unique Chicago partnership, to flip the narrative on violence. At this year’s Windy City International Film Festival, these teens are shining the spotlight on the lives behind the headlines with their powerful documentary film Rise Up which depicts how violence has impacted their lives

Popular

Investigation by CHA and HUD Inspectors General ends with guilty plea...

The Chicago Housing Authority will receive restitution for money stolen by a former contractor and her husband after the pair pleaded guilty to stealing funds intended for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, a crime that was exposed following an investigation by the CHA’s Office of the Inspector General.

Recent

Make Your Garage Door Quieter

How to Make Your Garage Door Quieter

Did you know that the structural noise from a garage can be anywhere from 5 decibels to 20 decibels above the background noise levels? And if you are wondering how much change would a 20-decibel increase make, then consider this – with a rise of 20 decibels, the sound energy increases by a factor of 100!