FHFA Announces Next Steps in REO Pilot Program

The FHFA announced that the winning bidders in a real estate owned (REO) pilot initiative have been chosen and transactions are expected to close early in the third quarter.  The FHFA launched the pilot program in late February, and bids were solicited from qualified investors to purchase approximately 2,500 single-family Fannie Mae foreclosed properties.  FHFA […]

Fair Housing Act Prohibits Retaliatory Complaints

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) makes it clear that management cannot retaliate against anyone because he or she participated in a prior action. More and more often complaints are filed by persons alleging they were retaliated against by management because of a previously filed fair housing complaint or because they assisted with another complaint. Even though there are times when an […]

Design Professional’s Obligation to Redesign if Bids Are Too High

Federal government design contracts typically include clauses related to a designer’s obligations and potential liabilities. One clause, FAR 52.236-22, Design Within Funding Limitations (“DFL” clause) obligates the design professional to prepare a design for the project, which will permit the award of a construction contract at a price that does not exceed the estimated construction price […]

California charter city public works projects are not subject to prevailing wage requirements

Charter cities are not required to comply with California’s prevailing wage law with respect to construction contracts for public buildings, according to a July 2, 2012, California Supreme Court decision.  The underlying facts in that case, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California AFL-CIO v. City of Vista, relate to an October 2007 resolution […]

Filing Your Nebraska Lien

Nebraska Lien Filing Who Can File: Anyone who has provided work that changes the condition of the property is entitled to a mechanic’s lien.  However, suppliers of suppliers and and Claimant in the tiers below cannot file as their relationship to the project is too distant. What Can Be Claimed: Anything that changes the condition of the […]