The U.S. Department of Labor — in partnership with the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission — today announced the availability of up to $35.5 million to help communities and workers successfully adapt to changes in the coal industry and power sector.

Congressman Byrne’s amendment would eliminate all funding for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) program. The program funds research and development of “clean-energy” technologies. Congressman Byrne believes the program to be unnecessary government influence in the free market and a waste of taxpayer dollars

The City of Mobile on Friday demolished its 4th home this week as part of Mayor Sandy Stimpson's fight on blight campaign. This is the 8th home the City has demolished in April, with four more emergency demolitions currently scheduled.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act (H.R. 650), a bill she co-sponsored to preserve critical access to financing for manufactured homes for low-income and rural families, passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

"These new homes are a prime example of how we are taking back our neighborhoods. It's the answer to many of the challenges we are facing including blight, housing and crime. You can expect more transformations like this in the months to come." - Mayor Sandy Stimpson

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has named Holley Thomas, Double Springs, Ala., as its Craft Professional of the Year. Thomas works as a foreman for KBR. Thomas received the honor March 6 during ABC’s National Craft Championships (NCC) and Workforce Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Join us for free workshops to empower you and your family to build a stronger financial foundation. All workshops are held at the Lifelines Counseling Services office, 705 Oak Circle Dr E, Mobile, 36609. Due to limited space, please call 251-602-0011 to register in advance for the workshops.

An Alabama real estate investor pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions held in southern Alabama, the Department of Justice announced today.

As recovery continues from the April 28 to May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that hit Alabama, federal officials are offering help on how to rebuild “stronger and safer” for the next disaster

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today stressed the need for housing finance reform but detailed his opposition to related legislation under consideration by the committee. Shelby pointed out that the proposed bill would greatly expand and further complicate the role of government in housing markets, empowering a new super-regulator with the same authorities used to bail out Wall Street and putting taxpayers on the hook for trillions of dollars of liability. In doing so, Shelby strongly challenged the assertion that the legislation is the best way to move beyond the unacceptable status quo. Excerpts of Shelby’s statement are below in bold, followed by the full text of his prepared remarks

Today, U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) commended the Tennessee Valley Authority’s announcement that it will work with a newly created Alabama state board, legislators and local officials to find a long-term funding solution to manage invasive aquatic weeds in residential and commercial areas of Guntersville Reservoir. According to TVA’s release, “If the stakeholder group of homeowners, anglers, environmentalists and state and local agencies agrees to reinstate a Guntersville weed management plan, TVA will provide short-term funding to treat weeds in residential and commercial areas for six years beginning this summer.

William R. “Rusty” Miller, a real estate developer from Fairhope, Ala., pleaded guilty today in federal district court in Gulfport, Miss., to the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., in violation of the Clean Water Act, announced U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi Gregory K. Davis and Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded the Nov. 5 victory of ABC Alabama Chapter member and former state Sen. Bradley Byrne in a Republican special primary runoff election for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today approved several disaster recovery plans throughout the State of Alabama totaling $54.5 million to help local communities to recover from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in 2011. These disaster plans will rely on grants provided earlier this year through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday continued the state’s long-term efforts to address the availability and rising cost of homeowners insurance.

Governor Bentley on Wednesday announced some Alabama residents will have an opportunity to make their homes safer from severe weather. As a result of the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaac in 2012, hazard mitigation funds are now available for the following eight Alabama counties: Baldwin, Covington, Dallas, Geneva, Mobile, Monroe, Perry and Pickens

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that LLB&B, Inc., a real estate company based in Mobile, AL, will pay $29,000 as part of a Conciliation Agreement resolving allegations that one of its agents refused to show a condominium to a prospective homebuyer because he is African American. The homebuyer alleged that he learned of the discrimination when the real estate agent inadvertently left a message on his telephone voicemail indicating her belief that white neighbors would ‘panic’ at the prospect of an African American neighbor.

Two Alabama real estate investors and their company were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama in Mobile, for their participation in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama, the Department of Justice announced

Nearly $120 million in additional funding will help Alabama communities in the ongoing recovery from the spring 2011 severe weather outbreak. Governor Robert Bentley was informed of the allocation by Shaun Donovan, Secretary of U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday released the Affordable Homeowners Insurance Commission Report, which includes recommendations that could be used to address the availability and rising cost of homeowners insurance