Housing Starts at Lowest in More Than Two Years

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According to a report by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the number of homes that were being built as of December 2018 was at its lowest level in the more than two years. The decrease in housing starts during this period indicates that developers are anticipating fewer new houses that will be sold this year. Building permits increased by just 0.3 percent, suggesting that growth in new housing will continue to be sluggish in the future.

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Corporate Diversity Bill Will Require Companies to Disclose Board Representation

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Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) has recently introduced the Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2019, which will require public companies to disclose the gender, race, ethnicity and veteran status of their board directors, nominees and senior executive officers, as a way to track the progress of diverse representation in the corporate sphere.

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Congress Introduces Bill to Reinstate Dodd-Frank Reform Measures

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In 2018, Congress passed a bill that rolled back reform measures under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that required banks and credit unions to report loan characteristics. The measures required lenders to submit reports for 25 or more mortgages and 100 or more home equity loans made per year.

The bill raised the threshold significantly to 500 mortgages and 500 home equity loans per year, which resulted in 85 percent of banks and credit loans being exempted from reporting. This has sparked concern over fairness in lending as some minorities and women are still subject to loan discrimination.

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U.S. Metro Cities Investing the Most in New Housing

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Increased demand for new housing in a specific geographic area can be an indicator of job growth and a prospering economy, while a halt in demand in new housing might signify an economic slowdown.  Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permit Survey, researchers from Construction Coverage identified the metropolitan areas in the nation that are investing the most funds in new housing.

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Women and Minorities Underrepresented Among Ownership in Asset Management Industry

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A recent study by the Harvard Business School and Bella Research Group analyzing diversity within ownership of U.S. asset management shows that women and minorities have been significantly underrepresented in mutual funds, hedge funds, private equity and real estate between the years 2011 and 2017. However, the report also notes that diversity does not have a noticeable effect on performance.

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African-American History Month 2019

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The month of February is dedicated to the commemoration and celebration of the important contributions African Americans have brought to the United States. American historian Carter G. Woodsen introduced Black History Week on Feb 12, 1926, which was continually celebrated every second week of February, coinciding with the birth dates of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

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White House Dissolves 2016 Workplace Safety Regulation

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During the last partial government shutdown, lasting a total of 35 days, the White House dissolved a workplace safety regulation stipulated in 2016 which required employers to electronically submit detailed reports of workplace injuries to the Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

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Board Diversity in Fortune 500 Companies Has Tripled Since 2010

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The Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) and the Alliance for Board Diversity have partnered to create the Missing Pieces Report: The 2018 Board Diversity Census of Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards.” The report looks at trends in overall diversity and comparative differences in rates of representation among board positions in the corporate sphere.

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Just Released: NAWRB Magazine Change in America, sheCENTER(FOLD) Quinn Palomino

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Change in America – WOW, where do we start? During these exciting times filled with anxiety and living on the edge of our seats, Women in the Housing and Real Estate Ecosystem (NAWRB) brings you our incredible Issue of NAWRB Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 4, featuring sheCENTER(FOLD) Quinn Palomino, real estate entrepreneur, shareholder, and Co-Founder and Principal at Virtua Partners, and a Special Guest Interview with Wendy Federman, eight-time Tony Award, seven-time Drama Desk Award, eleven-time Drama League Award, and ten-time Outer Critics Circle Award winning producer.

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