genotype-environment

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Dallas Ranked Among Best Places To Celebrate New Year’s Eve

DALLAS, TX — Dallas is one of the best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve in America according to a new ranking from the personal-finance website WalletHub. The website compared the 100 biggest cities across 28 key metrics, including the legality of fireworks to the average price of a New Year’s Eve party ticket. Some of the other metrics included New Year’s Eve events per capita, duration of fireworks shows, and availability of luxury dining.

This information was gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau, Yelp, and local tourism offices, among many other sources.

Dallas was ranked number 17, right below San Antonio. It is no surprise that New York City was ranked number 1 considering more than 1 million people are expected to pack the streets of Times Square this year while 100 million more will watch the festivities on TV, according to 6sqft.com.

Check out Wallethub’s full ranking below.

1. New York, NY 2. Los Angeles, CA 3. Atlanta, GA 4. San Diego, CA 5. Las Vegas, NV 6. Denver, CO 7. Orlando, FL 8. Chicago, IL 9. Washington, DC 10. San Francisco, CA 11. Miami, FL 12. New Orleans, LA 13. Philadelphia, PA 14. Birmingham, AL 15. Seattle, WA 16. San Antonio, TX 17. Dallas, TX 18. Louisville, KY 19. Nashville, TN 20. Virginia Beach, VA

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Photo by Will Taylor-Medhurst/Getty Images

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Modern Marvel Hits the Dallas Housing Market

UNIVERSITY PARK, TX — A home that captures the sharp, pastel charm of a Wes Anderson film is for sale in Dallas’ University Park suburb. The property at 3528 Marquette St. is on sale for nearly $3.5 million. Learn more about the home below.

Price: $3,495,000 Square Feet: 6833 Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 6 full and 2 half baths Built: 2013 Features: Modern masterpiece custom built by Robert Elliot in Univ Park on 70×150 lot, w 6 BR, 6.2 BA, a fabulous study, library & 2 game rms. This meticulously-crafted, contemporary gem has graced the pages of D Home & HGTV. Designer elements w REX Italian porcelain & walnut wood floors, 3 fireplaces, gourmet ktchn w Wolf & SubZero applncs, Caesarstone counters & custom Downsview cabinetry. Ktchn overlooks family rm w wall of sliding doors opening to covered outdoor livng-ktchn & turfed yard. Master suite w sitting area & spa bath. Addl features include game rm, 3rd flr bonus rm, 2 car gar. Soaring ceilings, an abundance of natural light, & unique appointments situated steps from the best schools, parks & shopping.

This listing originally appeared on realtor.com. For more information and photos, click here.

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No Heat for Some North Texas Renters, What Are Their Options?

Freezing Renters Without Heat, What Are Their Options?Renters across North Texas are reporting issues with heat at their apartments, NBC 5’s Diana Zoga looks into what can be done to get the warm air blowing. (Published Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018)

On a chilly Wednesday afternoon, Brianna McDowell’s one year old daughter wears a fluffy pink coat to play — inside.

McDowell pointed to the thermostat in her apartment. When it’s flipped on, the vents only blow cool air.

“The night before, it was so cold I literally had on two sweaters, a jacket, a scarf, jeans with leggings, shoes and socks on,” said McDowell.

McDowell said her apartment complex, Brooklawn Springs Apartments in Dallas, offers "all bills paid" and the heat is typically turned on for the entire complex at one time.

At least two other residents told NBC 5 they’re also cold in their apartments. One resident is using the stove to heat the living room, even though she said she knows it’s dangerous.

McDowell said she asked for the heat to be flipped on three weeks ago, but staff told her it was too early in the season. This week, McDowell showed NBC 5 text messages from staff in the complex saying there’s been a delay in getting a part to repair the heating system.

A manager at the apartment complex said she isn’t allowed to speak to a reporter. Another staff member told NBC 5 workers have been trying to repair the boiler for the last two days.

McDowell points out below freezing temperatures in North Texas were forecast before that.

“I want to make sure that I can come in here and be warm,” said McDowell. “I don’t have to leave and go to someone else’s house to sleep for the night because it’s too cold to sleep in my own home.”

“If the landlord wasn’t willing to sleep in a place that’s unheated at 30 degrees, than they shouldn’t expect the tenants too either,” said Sandy Rollins, executive director of the nonprofit Texas Tenants’ Union.

Texas Property Code states renters have the right to demand repairs of conditions that affect physical health and safety.

Some cities have more specific ordinances on the books. In Dallas, residents should call 311 and an inspector must respond within 24 hours of the complaint. In Arlington, residents should call the city’s Action Center at 817-459-6777.

“Most of the larger cities in the area have minimum property standards and people can call code enforcement or housing inspection and try to get somebody out,” explained Rollins.

In Dallas, landlords have to maintain heating units that can keep a room no cooler than 68 degrees and make repairs within 72 hours if temperatures remain below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for three consecutive days after the city gives a notice or citation.

In Arlington, city code states temperatures should be able to be maintained at least 70 degrees.

Rollins said Texas tenant laws aren’t as strong as many other states that allow renters to withhold rent until repairs are made. In Texas, renters must continue to pay rent and repair orders should be made in writing and according to the terms of the lease. There may be a remedy for renters in court, but renters have to know to provide written requests by certified mail.

“So many people submit work orders, or make the phone calls, or fill out the web form, text, email,” said Rollins. “All of which seem like reasonable things to do and I’m not saying they’re not reasonable things to do, but often they’re not the thing that triggers the tenants’ rights.”

Renters may file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General here. For more information about the complaint process at the state level, click here.

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New Texas real estate firm will target healthcare properties

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A new Texas real estate company – Fidelis Healthcare Partners – plans to develop and purchased medical properties.

The company with offices in Dallas and Houston will also target retail properties for use with healthcare tenants.

The new firm is an affiliate of Houston-based Fidelis Realty Partners.

"Fidelis Realty Partners owns a lot of retail property with strategically located developable land in both the Houston and D-FW markets," Fidelis Healthcare’s CEO Kevin O’Neil said in a statement. "As the retailization of healthcare continues, those retail locations might very well prove to be ideal for healthcare projects large and small.

"What makes for good retail generally makes for a good payer mix and a good healthcare location."

O’Neil and Mark C. Allyn – both former Trammell Crow Co. and CBRE executives – set up the new medical real estate company this summer.

The new firm is working in a venture agreement with Bentall Kennedy, an international real estate investment manager.

"This will be an ongoing, programmatic healthcare real estate development and acquisition joint venture partnership with a significant amount of capital to be deployed as we uncover opportunities," O’Neil said.

Fidelis Realty Partners has been in business for more than 15 years, and owns more than $3 billion in retail properties mostly in Houston and D-FW area.

The company owns almost a half dozen large North Texas shopping centers, including Rayzor Ranch in Denton.

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Dallas-Fort Worth leads the country in share of new high-end apartments

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Last year, almost 100 percent of the apartments built in Dallas-Fort Worth had something in common: They were all high-end rental units.

With developers in the biggest apartment-building market in the country aiming for the same slice of the rental pie, North Texas now ranks high among markets with the largest share of pricey, luxury apartment building.

D-FW has more high-end apartment building than any other metro area in the country, according to a study by Yardi Systems, just as in 2017. Nationwide, 8 out of 10 apartment communities that opened last year targeted high-end renters.

"Encumbered by high construction costs and encouraged by a surge in demand for rentals, developers have bet big on high-end apartments," Yardi analysts say. "Back in 2012, high-end properties represented about half of all new completed construction, but now these projects occupy the lion’s share of the multifamily industry.

"Nationally, about 87 percent of all large-scale apartment buildings completed in the first half of 2018 are high-end."

The surge in construction of deluxe rental units comes at a time when demand for affordable apartments in major U.S. markets is at an all-time high.

"Almost all of the new dwelling units being delivered are Class A — they are higher-end product," said John Sebree, national director with commercial property firm Marcus & Millichap. "The number of new high-end households being created is a much smaller percentage.

"A large percentage of those new households are B and C apartment tenants, and we are not creating any more B and C product."

What’s worse, thousands of older B and C apartments around North Texas are being knocked down for pricier rental communities.

(The share of high-end apartments being built nationwide has almost doubled./Yardi Systems)

Because of the shrinking pool of older apartments, rents in those units are rising at a higher percentage than new luxury apartments that are flooding some markets.

High-end apartment rents are up less than 1 percent this year in D-FW, and neighborhoods with older units are seeing rents rise more than 3 percent.

"The strongest rent growth has been in the neighborhoods where we are not building much in this cycle," said Greg Willett, chief economist with Richardson-based RealPage. "We have really filled up the neighborhoods where you see Class C units.

"Historically, you have had chronic vacancies there. Those areas are now jam-packed full."

While D-FW’s employment base and population are growing, incomes are not rising fast enough to keep up with apartment rents, which have grown almost 40 percent in North Texas since the recession.

"A bigger share of the population can only afford those Class C units," Willett said. "They have been priced out of the middle market and upper-tier properties."

Developers say rising land, construction and financing costs make it almost impossible to build workforce apartments in many urban areas.

"We have chosen to play in the upper end," said Tom Bakewell, one of the founders of Dallas-based apartment builder StreetLights Residential. "We are going to go even higher-end."

StreetLight’s newest Dallas rental high-rise on the edge of Highland Park has average rents of $5,000 — almost five times the D-FW average. Tenants’ average age in the McKenzie building is in the 50s, and they lease units for as long as two years.

"We are going to try and roll these out in more cities," Bakewell said. "We will only do a few of them in most markets."

Dallas and Fort Worth have one of the country’s largest shares of new high-end apartments.

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Why DFW was named top real estate market to watch in 2019

With a relatively low cost of living and population growth projections that outstrip other U.S. cities by two times, Dallas-Fort Worth has been named the top real estate market to watch in 2019.

The Emerging Trends in Real Estate for 2019 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute ranked the Metroplex as the number one market for overall real estate prospects in 2019 out of 78 other cities.

Austin and San Antonio also made it into the top 20 for overall real estate prospects in the annual forecast report, which is compiled from thousands of interviews with real estate experts across a spectrum of industries.

Mitch Roschelle, a partner at PwC, said the economic data points analyzed for the report suggest the strength of the economy and the discipline being practiced in the real estate market.

“If there is a downturn ahead of us, it won’t be real estate that caused it,” he said. “Right now there’s way more discipline in all activities in real estate than there has been in any other time in the modern era. We haven’t gotten ahead of ourselves in terms of real estate development. I hope that real estate folks remain as conservative as they have in creating new supply.”

Roschelle said he’s seeing that conservative behavior in Dallas-Fort Worth and it has kept the market from getting ahead of itself despite the ever-growing demand and push for growth.

As for what makes North Texas the one to watch next year, he said several factors come into play.

Related: Looking for a bigger home? You may want to move to Texas

“The things that have been important in years past have been markets that have low cost of living and low, relative to the national average, cost of doing business. That’s where companies want to be and that’s where people want to be,” Roschelle said.

The low cost of living, low cost of doing business and tax efficiency continue to draw people to Dallas-Fort Worth, he said. And so much so that the area’s population growth rate is projected to be more than two times the national average in 2019.

“The growth in the population is skewed towards younger folks in Dallas,” Roschelle said. “The growth in the 0 to 24 age category is high and in the 25 to 40 category. [The population] is becoming younger, and those people are all the workers for the future.”

But as the population in the Metroplex grows, affordable housing is becoming more of an issue. Although affordable single-family homes are a contributor to Dallas-Fort Worth’s success, there aren’t enough of them, according to the report.

The report says focus group respondents in the Dallas area pointed to an increasingly prevalent “not in my backyard” mentality as the reason for the slow down in available workforce housing.

“Dallas traditionally was a place where there was a piece of land, and if someone wanted to build on it, they just built on it,” Roschelle said.

Now, though, developers are often met with a “you’re not building that thing near me” attitude, which tends to add hurdles like cost and time, he said. This contributes to the problem that Dallas-Fort Worth is facing with additions to housing supply not keeping pace with demand.

What the Dallas area has going for it, though, is a diverse and stable employment base thanks to the wide spectrum of industries represented in the area, Roschelle said. The report indicates that the market is expected to have high growth and low volatility when it comes to employment in 2019.

To read Claire’s key takeaways and trends from the report, click here.

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Searching For The Best Apartments In Far North Dallas? You Need To Read These Tips

Have you been searching for affordable apartments in far north Dallas, but with the very little luck. In fact, it may seem like you would have better luck finding that proverbial needle in the haystack then an affordable apartment. Many times, it seems as though the best apartments have already been rented or an apartment you are interested in is way above your budget. If this is the case, you’re simply searching for an apartment the wrong way. Don’t feel bad about it, because almost everybody does it. With that being said, we are going to steer you in the right direction and show you how you can find the best apartments in very little time.

Finding The Sweet Spot

One of the most important elements of finding a great apartment, is finding one that is going to be in your price range. It makes no sense at all to search for apartments without knowing how much you can afford on a monthly or yearly basis. Worst-case scenario, you find an incredible apartment but are unable to keep it due to the high cost of expenses. It is essential that you do not live over your means, and that includes finding an apartment that you can easily afford in addition to paying for your utilities and other monthly expenses. The best way to ensure you are able to pay easily for the right apartment is looking at your gross annual income and ensure that it is 40 times greater than the monthly rent you are prepared to pay.

Searching Locations

Many people never think about specific locations when searching for an apartment. In fact, they typically drive around the Dallas area until they see a for rent sign and call the landlord to see the apartment. If they like the apartment and it is within their budget, they will generally go ahead and rent it. They do not take the time to ask any questions about the neighborhood or researcher in greater detail. It is absolutely essential that you know about the location you’re planning to move into to ensure you’re going to enjoy it. Far too often, you can and up in an area that is not going to meet your specific needs and is generally miserable. A good way to make sure you find the right location for ham, is to research it online with a city data website. There are several of these websites available, all you have to do is search for Dallas city data through one of the search engines and you’ll find a listing of relevant websites. Take the time to research the various elements of all of the neighborhoods until you find one that is going to meet your needs. In this, we mean to look at crime, education, and various amenities that you may want. If the neighborhood looks good via the statistics, it is more than likely going to be a good choice for you to laser focus in on searching for the best apartments in far north Dallas.

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Breaking down all the new faces for the Dallas Stars, both on the ice and on the sideline

For the second consecutive summer, the Stars welcomed in a new coach, highlighting an otherwise quiet offseason in which Dallas operated on the edges of the roster.

Here’s a quick look at the new faces.

Head coach Jim Montgomery: Montgomery enters his first season as an NHL coach this season after spending five years at the University of Denver, where he won a national championship in 2017.

Assistant coach Rick Bowness: After the past five seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and defensemen like Victor Hedman, Bowness arrives in Dallas. He’s also been the head coach of the Jets, Bruins, Senators, Islanders and Coyotes.

Assistant coach Todd Nelson: Nelson was the head coach of Grand Rapids in the AHL, and will assist with the Stars’ power play units.

Defenseman Miro Heiskanen: Last year’s No. 3 overall pick, Heiskanen will pay his first season in North America. The 19-year-old Finn has already garnered Calder Trophy buzz.

Forward Blake Comeau: Comeau stays within the division with a move from Colorado to Dallas. He signed a three-year deal with the Stars, and will likely move up and down the lineup.

Goaltender Anton Khudobin: One of the top backup goaltenders in free agency this summer, Khudobin inked a two-year deal with Dallas to serve as insurance for Ben Bishop.

Forward Valeri Nichushkin: Nichushkin isn’t a new face entirely, but he’ll be back in Dallas after he spent two seasons playing in the KHL. He was the Stars’ first-round pick in 2013.

Defenseman Roman Polak: The veteran physical defenseman should serve as a seventh defenseman and slide into the lineup depending on injuries or matchups.

Where are they now?

The Stars allowed some veteran depth players to walk during free agency. Here’s where they ended up.

Defenseman Dan Hamhuis: Signed a two-year contract with Nashville that averages $1.25 million.

Forward Antoine Roussel: Signed a four-year contract with Vancouver that averages $3 million.

Defenseman Greg Pateryn: Signed a three-year contract with Minnesota that averages $2.25 million.

Goaltender Kari Lehtonen: Remains unsigned.

Stay up on the Stars in the easiest way possible. Get news, analysis and insights delivered right to your inbox FREE.

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Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc. and Abode Properties Celebrate the Grand Opening at Parc at Wylie in Wylie, Texas

Parc at Wylie apartments located in Wylie, Texas (Photo: Business Wire)

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 4, 2018–Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc., (NYSE: TCI) and Abode Properties recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest asset Parc at Wylie apartments in Wylie, Texas.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180604005027/en/

Parc at Wylie apartments located in Wylie, Texas (Photo: Business Wire)

The Grand Opening celebration for Parc at Wylie apartments welcomed attendees from the City of Wylie, the Wylie Chamber of Commerce, local businesses such as Camp Gladiator and Edward Jones, property developers and managers Wittington Holdings, Pillar Income Asset Management and Sunridge Management, along with Parc at Wylie community staff and current residents.

Parc at Wylie has thirteen 3-story buildings with a total of 198 units and 12 available floorplans. The spacious one, two and three bedroom units offer walk in closets, gourmet kitchens with breakfast bars, granite countertops, screened patios and balconies, lofty nine foot ceilings and in unit washers and dryers. It is a pet friendly community that’s equipped with covered and garage parking, a fenced bark park, swimming pool w/tanning deck, walking trails, playground, 24 hour fitness center, elevator and much more. The property was 95.5% leased as of May 24, 2018.

Conveniently situated with easy access to both Lake Lavon and Lake Ray Hubbard, Parc at Wylie is within minutes of several schools, including Primrose, Frank McMillan Jr. High, Davis Intermediate, Wylie High and Dodd Elementary Schools.

“We continue to develop assets in the strongest geographic regions in the United States,” commented Daniel J. Moos, TCI’s President and CEO. “Wylie has become one of the fastest-growing communities in the country and in 2017 was ranked 20 th in Money magazine’s 2017 Best Places to Live in America.”

Transcontinental Realty Investors maintains a strong emphasis on creating greater shareholder value through acquisition, financing, operation, developing, and sale of real estate across every geographic region in the United States. A New York Stock Exchange company, Transcontinental is traded under the symbol "TCI". Transcontinental produces revenue through the professional management of apartments, office buildings, warehouses, and retail centers that are "undervalued" or "underperforming" at the time of acquisition. Value is added under Transcontinental ownership, and the properties are repositioned into higher classifications through physical improvements and improved management. Transcontinental also develops new properties, such as luxury apartment homes principally on land it owns or acquires.

Abode Properties is a subsidiary of Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc., (NYSE: TCI), a Dallas-based real estate investment company. Abode’s investment and strategic focus is to acquire, develop, and operate a portfolio of desirable multifamily residential properties, while capitalizing on our ability to obtain long term and static debt structures. The portfolio stands to benefit from historically established, proven, and successful operational practices, seasoned on-site management, and an experienced leadership team with forward thinking capabilities in order to realize maximum cash flows and consistent returns, while maintaining unequaled resident and customer service. We are disciplined and prudent allocators of capital and we will continue growing our geographically diverse portfolio from the Southwest to the Southeast. These markets are geographically located in areas of the country that correspond with both sustainable and viable economic growth activity.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180604005027/en/

CONTACT: On behalf of Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc.

Chris Childress, 469-522-4275

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA TEXAS

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: REIT CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE

SOURCE: Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2018.

PUB: 06/04/2018 08:00 AM/DISC: 06/04/2018 08:01 AM

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Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: Inside the housing economy’s monster news weekend

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee takes a look at news across the HousingWire weekend desk, with more coverage to come on bigger issues.

Plenty of stories in this issue of MMCC, so hang on tight!

The Mortgage Bankers Association Secondary conference started Sunday with sessions including the Executive Perspectives panel, which HW Content Solutions Managing Editor Sarah Wheeler tells us all about here. So far, the conference remains quiet as the occasional attendant files in to register or set up their booth. The mood is much more relaxed than the hustle that’s expected to ensue Monday when the conference begins in earnest.

A message from our reporter, Kelsey, who’s on the ground: "Stay tuned in to HousingWire and follow me on Twitter, @kels_ramirez, as I bring you the latest from experts all over the U.S. on the mortgage secondary market."

Looking forward to it, Kelsey!

Now, we’ll go ahead and talk about the boom down here in the Lone Star state.

That’s right, Texas is the place to be (HousingWire is based in DFW) and our latest jobs report can beat up your latest jobs report.

Texas added 42,500 jobs in April, according to seasonally adjusted and benchmarked payroll employment numbers released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The state added a revised 26,600 jobs in March. That brings the year-to-date annualized growth rate to 3.7%.

“Texas job growth picked up in April, and year to date the state has added 151,200 jobs—the most over a four-month period since the end of 2014,” said Keith Phillips, Dallas Fed assistant vice president and senior economist. “Combined with continued growth in the leading index, this makes it very likely that job growth will be strong in the second half of 2018.”

“Energy jobs continue to accelerate sharply, growing at a double-digit rate year to date. Energy-producing areas of the state such as Midland and Odessa are booming. Houston, which has about 25% of all jobs in the state, is now the fastest-growing major metro in Texas so far this year at 4.5%.”

Meanwhile, in the rest of the nation, particularly on its cramped coastlines, housing affordability is so out of reach that even well-paid workers need to find housing that can be shared.

This article in TechCrunch lists all the start-ups that help struggling workers find roommates. Co-living, subletting, sharing “units,” whatever you want to call it — Shared housing startups are taking off.

“Notice any commonalities? Yes, the startups listed are all based in either New York or the San Francisco Bay Area, two metropolises associated with scarce, pricey housing. But while these two metro areas offer the bulk of startups’ living spaces, they’re also operating in other cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle and Pittsburgh," the article says.

On the capital markets side, there’s a new report issued by the DBRS U.S. RMBS team.

The report looks at collateral and performance trends in credit risk transfer securitizations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They are the deals in which the risk is spread to the private-investor space. And, as DBRS reports, things are going well!

DBRS has noticed a significant increase in the inclusion of HomeReady loans (Fannie Mae) and Home Possible loans (Freddie Mac) for the most recent high LTV securitizations, the report explains.

Those are the affordable mortgage products designed to expand the availability of mortgage financing to creditworthy low- to moderate-income borrowers.

"For example, the STACR 2018-HQA1 transaction at closing consisted of approximately 18.2% Home Possible loans and the CAS 2018-C02 transaction at closing consisted of approximately 12.5% HomeReady loans," DBRS explains.

The report then concludes that, overall, post-crisis GSE CRT transactions have good loan characteristics and exhibit generally low delinquencies and cumulative credit events.

From the report:

"DBRS had noticed an initial increase in delinquencies for certain transaction after recent natural disasters that have subsequently trended lower since the occurrence of those events. Prepayments have been relatively stable for deals seasoned more than 12 months — generally between 8% and 15% CPR across the vintage — except for certain deals issued between second-half 2014 and 2015, which are posting CPRs slightly above 20%. For the actual LS pools, cumulative credit event rates are at or close to 0%, and some of this may be attributed to the fact these loans are not seasoned enough to experience certain credit events."

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Virginia Postrel has a novel explanation for why there is a housing crisis in California — she caused it.

It’s a cutesy headline, "How I Caused California’s Housing Crisis," but the op-ed is no joke. What follows is a reasonable explanation of why startups like the ones mentioned above are even necessary in the Golden State.

Here’s a bit of history from the piece:

"The recession of the 1990s depressed housing construction. When the economy turned up, it was harder than ever to get new projects approved, especially in major cities. Homebuilding instead sprawled into outlying areas where middle-income families took on long commutes and risky mortgages to claim their piece of the California dream. Places like San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles, still haven’t fully recovered from the real estate crash."

Postrel’s premise is so strong, it’s doubtful the sharing economy will be able to do much to address the overall demand. Note to Californians: There are plenty of jobs left in Texas.

Out in Hawaii, after the initial damage reports from HousingWire, lava from Kilauea has since destroyed four homes, prompting airlifts. We’re keeping an eye on the damage but there are about 5,900 homes in the ZIP code 96778, the current site of the Kilauea lava eruption, according to data provided exclusively to HousingWire by CoreLogic. And of those homes, 1,029 are considered in high-risk areas, or areas where lava has flowed in the recent past.

Finally, a story about a real estate investor who was just trying to do his job when a nosy neighbor called the cops on him. The video below shows Michael Hayes, a real estate investor in Memphis, Tenn., who went to look at a fixer-upper on the market.

Now, some press coverage will tell you the neighbor, who is white, called the cops on Hayes, because he is black… but we won’t go so far. Hayes confirms the below video is him and the incident happened, but declined further comment.

As you can hear in the video, the police are (rightfully) on the side of the real estate investor who really shouldn’t have to put up with this kind of nonsense while trying to do his job.

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New Dallas Housing Policy Wins Unanimous Approval Despite Citizen Complaints

New Dallas Housing Policy Wins Unanimous ApprovalThe first ever Dallas housing policy won unanimous approval from the City Council Wednesday after more than a year of meetings and debate. The goal of the policy is to entice private developers to help build within the next few years the 20,000 new units of affordable housing that Dallas desperately needs. But some critics still left the Council meeting unhappy. (Published 29 minutes ago)

The first ever Dallas housing policy won unanimous approval from the City Council Wednesday after more than a year of meetings and debate. The goal of the policy is to entice private developers to help build within the next few years the 20,000 new units of affordable housing that Dallas desperately needs.

But some critics still left the Council meeting unhappy.

“You have a significant affordable housing crisis in this city and this policy did not address such,” said former Dallas City Council Member Diane Ragsdale.

She is unhappy that the Fair Park area where her non-profit group has been building new homes will be excluded from the next round of incentives in the new targeted approach to city spending.

Don’t try this…anywhere! Eric Henderson of New Jersey unleashed a nightmare pollen storm when he tapped a tree branch with his excavator just to see what would happen.

(Published Tuesday, May 8, 2018)

“You prioritize in those communities that you have neglected historically. And so, they chose not to do that,” Ragsdale said.

Instead of enticing new construction in the most disadvantaged areas, the new policy used a market value analysis to determine opportunity areas where city spending might be more likely to attract additional private investment in the near future.

The policy removes some of the politics from decisions about where city investments should be made. Supporters insist the new rules were necessary to get better results.

“We’re growing. We’ve got to have a strong policy. We’ve got to have a policy in place. We’ve got to have a foundation,” said Councilman Tennell Atkins. He received a bottle of pain reliever from Councilman Dwaine Caraway at the meeting as a reward for leading the committee that pushed the new policy to unanimous City Council support.

“We will continue to look after the entire City of Dallas and our respective districts with housing,” Caraway said. “No one will be left out.”

City officials said the new policy also includes housing repair programs which will be available in all neighborhoods, along with a home buying assistance plan for police, firefighters and teachers that will encourage having them live in the neighborhoods they serve.

”I’m thrilled and excited that today we’re going to pass this policy. I know we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. But it’s a start,” said Council Member Jennifer Gates.

Another group of critics speaking before Wednesday’s vote were tenants of affordable apartments. They complained the policy does not reserve enough of the new units for very low income families.

“I wanted City Council to know, it’s a whole, city wide thing,” said tenant Sharon Young. “I am a box away from living on the street and that’s not fair to anyone.”

Young said rent at her Northeast Dallas apartment went from $695 to $935 in just the past year.

“We see new housing going up around town with unaffordable rents for a whole lot of folks,” said Texas Tenant Union Executive Director Sandy Rollins. “We’re not seeing unsubsidized housing being built for the 4, 5, 6 hundred dollar a month range, which is a huge need in this town.”

After hearing from the speakers and debating last minute adjustments, the Dallas City Council vote to approve the housing policy was 15 to 0.

“I’m proud of how we’re working together. That’s what the citizens of Dallas want. Congratulations for that,” Mayor Mike Rawlings said.

City Council members said the policy will be reviewed after a year to consider changes.

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For example, you need to calculate a range of utility bills taking into account electricity dummy post

For example, you need to calculate a range of utility bills taking into account electricity, heating, and gas and you may also need to pay various insurance policies as well. Furthermore, you’ll often be required to pay some form of maintenance charge for the upkeep of the grounds and surrounding areas, and this can also catch you unawares if you aren’t expecting it.

Tip 2  make a list of what you need

When it comes to shopping for an apartment it can often be very difficult to know exactly what you need, and there’s always the chance that you may fall in love with one particular apartment, even if it doesn’t actually meet your key requirements.dummy post

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Things To Do In Dallas This Weekend: April 27-29

DALLAS, TX — If you’re looking to have some fun this weekend, look no further than this roundup. Patch has singled out some of the coolest experiences Dallas has to offer, including a craft fair with food, beer and wine tastings, a film festival and the chance to watch Luchadores duke it out while munching on Tacos.

Okay, this one isn’t in Dallas. But it’s worth making the trip out to Arlington. This year’s draft marks the first time the event has been held in an NFL stadium.

Here’s a peek at what you’ll see when you attend.

Angelika Film Center, Dallas

This year-round festival is hosting its Spring Film installment this weekend. Now in it’s 48th year, the festival includes year-round "Meet the Filmmakers" screenings; film series and retrospectives organized around important themes and filmmakers; presentations of restored prints on the big screen, and educational activities including filmmaker discussions and extensive community outreach activities.

All Weekend

"Delight in the joy of spring when Artscape, the Dallas Arboretum’s juried fine art and craft show and sale, brings together outstanding artists from around the country. The show features a variety of mediums including Painting, Sculpture, 2-D and 3-D mixed media, photography and more."

Delight in the joy of Artscape with something for all the senses:

Close to 100 professional artists showcasing their exceptional art in Pecan Grove.Galleries at DeGolyer with top galleries exhibiting and selling art with 20% of sales benefiting the Arboretum.A University Zone with regional university students and faculty showing and selling their art.Art demonstrations by Dallas County Community College District students and faculty.Live musical entertainment on stage with radio and TV personalities serving as emcees.Food concessions, craft beer and wine tastings.A Children’s Art Escape, featuring hands-on art activities for the young to make and take, overseen by retired DISD art teachers.Prize drawings on the hour every hour. April 27 – 29Southlake Town SquareHosted by Southlake Women’s Club

Friday, April 27 4:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sunday, April 29, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

"Now in it’s fourth year, Taco Libre Dallas is a gathering of the region’s best taquerias served with a side of a lucha libre wrestling and music. But really, it’s all about the tacos. Twenty four of the area’s best taquerias, plus one from Mexico City, have been deliciously curated by The Taco Trail’s José Ralat. Tacos will range from traditional to contemporary. Each taqueria will have a $2 taco and there will be plenty of veggie options. TACO LIBRE DALLAS takes place Saturday, April 28 at the Shed at Dallas Farmers Market. This is a family friendly event. Taco ’bout a good time!"

Image via Patch

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Teens in foster care more likely to become pregnant than other Texas youth, report finds

Staff Photographer

AUSTIN — The pregnancy rate for teens in foster care is almost five times as high as the rate for other Texas girls ages 13 to 17, according to a report from an advocacy group.

The analysis, which Texans Care for Children released Monday, also found that more than half of teens who age out of foster care at 18 or extend their time until 21 will become pregnant before they turn 20. That’s double the 1 in 4 American teens who will be pregnant before turning 20, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

The pregnant foster youth are also less likely to receive prenatal or postnatal care, according to the report, and their babies are more likely to be of low birth weight, a health risk to the child.

To reverse the trend, the report suggested a three-pronged approach: educate foster youth on healthy relationships, provide regular access to health services and support teen parents.

Texans Care for Children also wants to see policymakers do more to prevent pregnancy in foster care youth and provide support for those who do become parents, said Kate Murphy, senior child welfare policy associate.

"There is a lot of interest from policymakers both at the state and federal level in providing better support for youth in foster care, particularly for youth aging out," she said. "I think there’s an opportunity to seize on the attention that policymakers are paying to older foster youth."

Educating foster youth

The state requires foster care and adoption agencies to meet minimum educational standards to help teens prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, but Texans Care for Children’s survey data found that only 38 percent of the providers that responded said their agency had such a plan.

SJRC Texas, formerly known as St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, houses foster kids and helps place them in permanent homes. At its New Braunfels facility, which is dedicated to foster youth who are pregnant or parenting, chief executive Tara Rousett said most come in without ever seeing a doctor for prenatal care.

That can be attributed to both unstable home situations and a lack of education, she said.

"Many of them don’t even seem to know how they got pregnant in the first place," she said. "We don’t know if they’re embarrassed and won’t tell us, but it’s scary. That’s one thing we do as a program [is say] just because they’re pregnant, let’s not assume they know how that happened, and we start from the basics."

The report found that a contributing factor to teen pregnancy in the foster system came from youth wanting to be loved. There was a fear of rejection — for example, if a girl’s partner refused to use contraception, she might acquiesce to prevent a potential end to the relationship.

Experiencing stressful and traumatic events and being placed in multiple homes also contributed to high pregnancy rates.

The numbers

In fiscal year 2017, the Texas foster care system served 50,293 youth. While 8,952 of them were 15 to 21 years old, 1,200 left when they aged out of the system.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services had 332 pregnant youth and 218 parents in its care in the 2017 fiscal year. In Dallas County, there were 28 pregnant youth, 18 parents and six children removed from youth in foster care.

"It is important to note that the number of children in foster care who are pregnant or parenting is low enough for the state to provide ample support to each one," the report said. "We owe them nothing less."

Spokeswoman Lisa Block said Friday that the health and well-being of foster children is the department’s priority.

"The Department of Family and Protective Services, caregivers, medical providers and Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) providers work together to ensure that children in our care are educated and have access to the healthcare they need," she said in a prepared statement. "We are continually evaluating and working to improve the programs provided to youth in our care."

‘Healthy connections’

Rousett said her organization has seen success with the life skills and relationship lessons they teach girls. They have been housing pregnant and parenting teens for about five years, so they have not gathered much long-term data. But the kids who stay in touch have not yet had a repeat pregnancy, she said.

"A lot of it is really based on their healthy connections and the way they are healing from trauma they suffered," she said. "These kids are in foster care, so they’re coming from family who are already broken. Sometimes they are pregnant not by their own choice. Teaching those healthy connections and ending that cycle with the baby and mama, is key."

"Being in foster care is a vulnerable place to be," she added. "At the end of the day they just want to be loved, and they’re looking for ways to find it."

Murphy said it’s encouraging that Texas already has a foundation of pregnancy prevention to build on, rather than starting from scratch. Not only are there existing programs to teach foster care kids life skills, reproductive health and good communication, but the relatively small number of foster kids who are parents also means Texas can fully support them.

"Texas has the resources to help 218 kids to support 218 young families," she said. "That’s an issue we can tackle. If we just dedicated the resources to these kids, we can help set them up for success instead of seeing some of the negative outcomes that we’ve seen in the past, the cycle of poverty, of kids who have kids in foster care who wind up in foster care. We have the opportunity to break that."

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Harvey-damaged Texas Medical Center apartment sold to Dallas-area S2 Capital – Houston Business Journal

A 1970s-era apartment complex in the Texas Medical Center that sustained damage to almost 30 percent of its units during Hurricane Harvey has been sold to Dallas-area firm S2 Capital.

Brompton Court will be the company’s third property in the Houston area, with plans to grow from about 2,000 units in Houston to 5,000 within 12 months, according to Scott Everett, managing partner at S2 Capital. The property’s name will change to The Weston, and renovations will take about 18 months, Everett said.

Everett wouldn’t disclose the amount paid to CMS Brompton Court for the three-story, 793-unit garden-style apartment complex. Mark Brandenburg with JLL arranged acquisition financing, and Voya Investment Management provided the loan. Apartment Realty Advisors represented the buyer and the seller.

S2 Capital, which launched in 2012, focuses on buying Class B and C apartment complexes to remodel.

“We’re heavy ‘value-add’ renovators,” Everett said. “We look for stuff with a bit of a distressed component.”

Usually apartment rents go up by $150 on average over a two-year period, Everett said. While he wouldn’t disclose the budget for Brompton Court renovations, he said a typical project that adds new countertops, backsplashes, lighting packages and stainless appliances cost about $10,000-$12,000 a unit, or about $8 million-$10 million. Brompton Court’s needs will be different due to flood damage, he said, requiring reframing of the first floor along with new sheetrock and HVAC units to be installed. The company has fully insured the property and sustained very little damage prior to Harvey, Everett said.

“It’s a little more extensive than we’re used to,” Everett said.

S2 Capital has around 17,000 units in Texas and Florida. Everett said in Houston there’s “a little bit of a vacuum of institutional capital,” but submarkets such as the Texas Medical Center are an appealing prospect, especially those submarkets that aren’t so energy-related. Also, with experts predicting an apartment supply shortage in 2019 and 2020 due to a lack of new projects that moved forward during the oil downturn, the timing seems right to Everett.

He said the company will likely hold onto the Houston-area properties for at least five years or longer, a sign that the company is bullish on Houston.

Largest Houston-Area Multifamily Developers

Ranked by Local Units Under Development

Rank Company Name Local Units Under Development 1 Trammell Crow Residential 2,020 2 Allied Orion Group 851 3 Hanover Co. 651 View This List

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Marcia Gay Harden To Speak At Dallas Museum Of Art

DALLAS, TX — The Dallas Museum of Art announced Thursday that award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden is slated to present during the museum’s arts series.

Her presentation comes as part of the museum’s Arts & Letters Live, now in its 27th season. Her presentation will focus on her book "The Seasons of My Mother: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Flowers."

The engagement will take place Friday, May 4 a 7:30 p.m. in the museum’s Horchow Auditorium.

From Dallas Museum of Art:

With "The Seasons of My Mother: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Flowers," Academy and Tony Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden takes on her most important role to date: gatekeeper of memories. The Seasons of My Mother is a beautifully rendered portrait of two lives – Marcia’s own, and that of her mother Beverly, an accomplished practitioner of ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, who struggles with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Seasons of My Mother is a richly layered, moving tribute to a remarkable woman and to the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter. A beacon for anyone who has ever loved through loss, this book reminds us that while memory might fade or be stolen, "What still exists is love. It is omnipresent." The wisdom, generosity, and grace of her mother – portrayed so eloquently by Marcia in these pages – urge all of us to honor the past, live fully in the present, and look to the future with hope.

Tickets are on sale now and include a copy of The Seasons of My Mother. One ticket + one book is $5 and two tickets + one book is $80 with discounts for DMA Members, educators, and students. For details and ticket prices, visit DMA.org/ALL.

Image via Payton Potter, Patch staff

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Here’s Where Senior Housing Rent is Growing Fastest

Senior housing rent is growing the fastest in Charleston, South Carolina.

That’s according to data presented Wednesday at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) Spring Forum in Dallas, by Chief Economist Beth Mace and Senior Principal Lana Peck.

Charleston recorded the highest seniors housing rent growth nationwide between the fourth quarter of 2016 and the fourth quarter of 2017, with rent in that market growing almost 8% year-over-year. The markets with the second- and third-highest seniors housing rent growth during that time period were Augusta, Georgia, and San Jose, California, respectively.

Meanwhile, Colorado Springs, Colorado, recorded the worst rent growth, with rent falling by more than 2% in that market between the fourth quarter of 2016 and the fourth quarter of 2017. A number of other markets, including Salt Lake City, Utah, and Birmingham, Alabama, also recorded negative rent growth during that timeframe.

New in the resource center

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Additionally, 19 of the 31 primary markets tracked by NIC saw occupancy declines year-over-year, as of the fourth quarter of 2017, data show. Again, some markets are faring better than others—in San Jose, California, occupancy is up year-over-year and is also near an all-time high at over 95%. In San Antonio, Texas, the opposite is true: occupancy is down year-over-year and, as of the fourth quarter of 2017, is near an all-time low at 78%.

San Antonio is currently experiencing a “significant mismatch” between supply and demand, which is causing its record-low occupancy, according to NIC. Currently, the market has a 12.3% penetration rate and its annual inventory growth stands at 10.1%.

The market-specific data underscores how the senior housing landscape can vary significantly by metro area—a point often emphasized by NIC experts over the last several years, as the industry has been gripped by oversupply concerns.

Written by Mary Kate Nelson

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