Author Archives: ipgocorp

National Real Estate Group: HUD goes too far!

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(RECAP: The National Real Estate Investors Association (NREIA) said today that new guidelines issued Monday by HUD go too far and will have a chilling effect on criminal background checks used to screen potential tenants. According to HUD, because a disproportionate number of African Americans & Hispanics have criminal records, they face potential discrimination in housing options based on race, in violation of the Honest Housing Act. National REIA believes this would severely restrict a landlord’s ability to protect residents from predictable harm & violence. “Today’s guidance does small more than try to make the criminal class a protected class – beyond the scope of congressional authority granted by the Honest Housing Act.”)

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Homeownership Rate Below Peak Levels Across All Ages

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(RECAP: The homeownership rate in the United States has been on a steady decline since reaching a peak of 69.2 percent in 2004. The rate fell to a 48-year low of 63.4 percent in the second quarter of 2015 before clawing its way back up to 63.8 percent by the end of the year. While the homeownership rate is inching its way back upward, it is still below its peak across all age groups—particularly among consumers ages 44 and younger, according to the Wells Fargo 2016 Housing Market Outlook. The dramatic decline in the homeownership rate has coincided with an equally dramatic rise in the number of renter-occupied households over the last 10 to 12 years, according to Wells Fargo. “The number of renters would have increased even if the homeownership rate had not declined so sharply and will continue to increase even as the homeownership rate recovers,” the report stated.)

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Apex 5510 Becomes First Apartment Community in Boulder, Colorado to Achieve LEED Certification

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BOULDER, CO – Apex 5510, a 231 unit apartment community located in the Boulder, Cororado sub-market of Gunbarrel, has become the first apartment community in Boulder to achieve LEED certification (a rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council for improved environmental and human health performance).  The announcement comes after Apex 5510 received LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) last month, a testimony to the development team’s focus on sustainability and the environment.

“Sustainability is a focal point for our company, and we know that it is a priority for many of the people who live and work in Boulder County,” said Brad Blash, co-founder and managing partner of Crossbeam Concierge, which has partnered with Trammell Crow Residential on the development.   “With simple access to bike trails, transportation systems and a station for the well loved B-cycle program onsite, Apex 5510 provides a fantastic place to live in an environmentally friendly and thoughtful community.  We’re proud of our commitment to Gunbarrel and to Boulder, and that pride is reflected in the type of lifestyle and living space we’re delivering to the people who want to live and work here.  We’re doing all we can to differentiate ourselves, in ways that matter most to our residents.”

The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. A community can achieve LEED certification after undergoing a technically rigorous process, including the incorporation of green strategies to achieve efficiency and healthy environments, including factors such as sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Apex 5510 met a long list of requirements, including:  

Low flow fixtures, reducing occupant water use and energy bills.

30 percent energy reduction over baseline (IECC 2006) to reduce energy bills.

Sealed combustion equipment and mechanical ventilation to improve indoor air quality.

Eco-sensitive landscaping including a limited amount of turf, drought-tolerant plants and zoned irrigation for water conservation.

HERS rating of at least 70 for each dwelling unit.

“The green housing market is growing,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & founding chair, USGBC. “LEED-certified homes are healthier places to live, produce lower utility bills, have better air quality and leave a smaller environmental footprint behind.”

Added Mark Bloomfield, principal at Sustainability Built, LLC:  “The LEED for Homes program provides a metric by which energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and other green measures can be verified by third-party inspectors.  The Silver level of certification that Apex 5510 has achieved verifies that the project has implemented a significant number of green measures to reduce energy use, and improve occupant health and quality of life.”

“We’ve seen a fantastic deal of interest from people who want to live close to their jobs in Gunbarrel, as well as those who want a more affordable Boulder address,” said Blash, “Apex 5510 is providing people with a quality apartment community, complete with numerous amenities and services that are intended to ease their busy lifestyles, and provide fantastic sources of relaxation and fun.”

Apex 5510 hosts monthly brunches, as well as cocktail nights and other social events for residents, enhancing the friendly community atmosphere that exists here.  For more information regarding Apex 5510, please visit www.apex5510.com

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