HELENA – May 2, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Steve Bullock on Wednesday signed into law a bill that adds a new layer of protection for private landowners in their negotiations with companies and government agencies that want to acquire their land under the state’s eminent domain laws. more »

EUGENE, OR – April 24, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce Montana real estate agent Ryan Kulesza is the latest realty professional to adopt an IDX solution for his website. With the unique technology that IDX Broker supplies to agents and brokers, they can integrate their website with the Multiple Listings Service (MLS) boards they belong to. As a member of the Southwest Montana MLS (SWMMLS), Kulesza has access to thousands of detailed property listings, and now, so does his clients. IDX Broker extracts raw listing data from the SWMMLS database and seamlessly displays it on the search function Kulesza hosts. Finding a home in Big Sky, Montana has never been easier, thanks to the IDX solution Kulesza employs on his real estate search page. more »

U.S. SENATE – April 3, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Senators Jon Tester and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) are pushing a bipartisan proposal that cuts burdensome red tape for small public housing agencies nationwide so they can more easily provide affordable housing. more »

EUGENE, OR – March 22, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Brian Huskey with American Property Brokers to the number of people choosing to use the customizable IDX solution to his Billings, Montana based real estate website. The IDX Broker software now on Huskey’s page extracts raw listing data from the Billings MLS (BMTMLS) and seamlessly displays it for Huskey’s clients to search through. The Internet Data Exchange (IDX) technology has revolutionized the way home seekers search for properties online. Now, Huskey can give his clients a dynamic property search from the convenience of his real estate website, which is now simpler than ever to use. more »

HELENA – March 19, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — The Montana Department of Commerce is awarding a total of nearly $36,000 to five Montana Main Street (MMS) communities, one of which is a brand new member to the program. The previously enrolled communities of Glendive/Dawson County, Shelby, Terry and Whitehall will receive grants, along with the newest Affiliate Community Member, the City of Helena. more »

Senators’ bipartisan bill cuts red tape, improves leasing system for wind, solar projects

U.S. SENATE – February 12, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — With wide-ranging support from sportsmen to local governments, Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are introducing a bipartisan bill that streamlines permitting for renewable energy projects on public lands. more »

Stairs and other design features make 2 of 5 units inaccessible

MONTANA – October 8, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is charging the owner, builder and developer of a five-unit Missoula, Montana, apartment building with housing discrimination for designing and constructing two of the five units in a way that makes them inaccessible to persons with disabilities. According to HUD’s charge, the two single-story units cannot be accessed without negotiating a flight of stairs. more »

New critical care hospital to offer broad range of medical and surgical services

WASHINGTON, DC – August 28, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to St. John’s Lutheran Hospital in Libby, Montana. The $32 million loan is made possible through the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Section 242 Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program. more »

Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families

WASHINGTON, DC – August 16, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Montana and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to wild fires in June and July. more »

State Weatherization Program Helps a Record Number of Montana Families Save Money, Reduce Energy Use

January 10, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu hosted a conference call today with Governor Brian Schweitzer to announce that Montana has surpassed its aggressive energy efficiency goal established with the U.S. Department of Energy for funding under the 2009 stimulus law, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Through the weatherization program, the state has helped a total of more than 6,800 Montana families improve the energy efficiency of their homes over the last three years, saving the average household more than $400 a year on its utility bills. more »

HELENA, MT – August 15, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Residents who were affected by flooding may be waiting to have their homes inspected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for damage. The damage inspection is part of the recove

ry process. more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 17, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today supported an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill to provide emergency funding in response to flooding in the Missouri and Mississippi River basins. The funding comes as counties across Montana face severe flooding from a combination of high snowpack and high precipitation. Montana’s governor has declared a State of Emergency and has asked for a Presidential Disaster Declaration. more »

WASHINGTON, DC – June 3, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to the Stillwater Hospital Association in Columbus, Montana. The $14.3 millio

n loan is made possible through the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Section 242 Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program.
The existing hospital was constructed more than 50 years ago. Space limitations and infrastructure problems in the aging structure necessitate replacement to better serve the community. The FHA-insured mortgage loan will be used to construct an entirely new facility with a new emergency room, inpatient and outpatient surgery areas, laboratory, imaging department, a primary care clinic, and a home health agency. Stillwater Hospital Association is managed by Billings Clinic, Billings, Montana, a tertiary-level hospital that owns and manages six other hospitals and physician clinics in South Central Montana and Wyoming.
“By supporting hospital projects like this one in Montana, FHA is not only helping to expand access to medical care, itis also contributing to the financial well-being of communities by creating jobs to stimulate local economies.” said Acting FHA Commissioner Robert Ryan.
“Critical access hospitals like this one in Columbus are just that – critical – and it’s essential they have the space and facilities to serve the critical needs of Montana patients. This loan to the Stillwater Hospital Association is a smart investment that will support a healthy community and economy for years to come by supporting life-saving care and good-paying Montana jobs during construction and beyond,” said Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus.
HUD estimates the Stillwater Hospital construction project will support 290 full-time jobs and provide an estimated economic stimulus of more than $41.2 million to the community. Once completed, it is estimated the project will support 52 full-time jobs and provide an annual economic benefit of $9.8 million. HUD’s estimates are based on results from an economic model used by public and private institutions to examine a variety of economic development issues.
By insuring the mortgage loan, FHA is enabling the hospital to obtain lower cost financing that will save an estimated$4.2 million in interest expense over the life of the loan. Since 1968, FHA has insured 397 mortgage loans totaling $17.1 billion to hospitals in 43 states and Puerto Rico.
FHA’s Section 242 Mortgage Insurance Program for Hospitals enables hospitals to obtain capital to finance new construction and renovation of acute care hospitals. Eligible applicants can be public, proprietary, or nonprofit hospitals certified by the responsible State agency.
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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
Contact:
Lemar Wooley
(202) 708-0685

HELENA, MT – December 6, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Brian Schweitzer has ordered that all flags on property of the State of Montana be flown at half staff on Tuesday, December 7th, 2010, to honor the memory of Montana State Highway Patrol Trooper David DeLaittre. Trooper DeLaittre was killed while on duty on Wednesday, December 1st, 2010. The Governor also encourages all Montanans to fly flags at their homes, schools, public buildings, parks, communities and business at half staff in honor of Trooper DeLaittre. more »

WASHINGTON, DC – September 30, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to Barrett Hospital Development Corporation to replace the existing Barrett Hospital & Healthcare facility in Dillon, Montana. The $33.1 million loan is made possible through the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Section 242 Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program. more »