HOUSING

Feb 28 2026POLITICS

Maidan’s Power Play: A Quick Deal With Trump

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office after a surprise meeting. The talk was brief but packed with moves that could change city plans. Mamdani asked for a huge federal grant – about $21 billion – to build 12, 000 new homes. The proposal includes a big deck over

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Feb 27 2026POLITICS

Medina Eyes New Buyers for City Lot

The city of Medina plans to open up a 410‑East Smith Road lot for public bids, according to the finance committee. The property was bought in 2012 and has been used mainly for storing city sanitation supplies, though a fire once damaged some buildings. The site sits behind the Sweets and Geeks shop

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Feb 24 2026FINANCE

Saving for a Home: Crazy Tips and Real‑World Tricks

Buying a house in the U. S. feels more like a marathon than a milestone. Prices over $400, 000, mortgage rates near historic highs, and wages that lag behind make a down payment feel like a distant dream. Because of this, people are turning to extreme and practical strategies alike. Some suggest li

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Feb 18 2026EDUCATION

Barbour’s Quiet Fight for Equality

William “Wilbur” Miller Barbour grew up in Middletown and later made a name for himself far beyond his hometown. After finishing high school there, he went on to study at Elizabethtown College and then pursued a career in social work. He joined the National Urban League, where he helped plan program

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Feb 15 2026POLITICS

Build Faster, Build Better: Why New York Needs Less Red Tape

The state of New York faces a housing crunch and growing needs for parks, schools, and clean water. A long‑time builder group says the governor’s “Let Them Build” plan can help. They argue that rules meant to protect the environment are too strict for many projects. The law called SEQRA ask

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Feb 15 2026OPINION

South Portland’s Housing Dilemma: Why the Mahoney Center Wins Over Homes

South Portland’s city council set a 2025 plan to turn the old Mahoney Middle School into a community hub, while also aiming to add more affordable homes for middle‑income families. The 2026 agenda repeated the housing push and added a bond vote for city buildings in November. In practice, the Mahon

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Feb 15 2026BUSINESS

Theme Parks, Homes and Dollars: How Disney’s New Plans Shape Local Real Estate

Disney is using its biggest attractions to stir up housing markets across the U. S. When a theme park gets bigger, it brings more jobs, tourists and money into the area, which in turn pushes up house prices and encourages new rental projects. The company’s latest moves show how careful planning ca

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Feb 13 2026POLITICS

A New Way to Tackle Empty Homes in Colorado

Colorado lawmakers heard a proposal that would let local governments tax vacant houses. The idea, called a “ghost tax, ” was meant to force owners of empty homes to pay extra money and help fund affordable housing. The House Finance Committee voted it down, but the discussion is far from over. The

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Feb 13 2026POLITICS

D. C. Takes Bold Step to Protect Renters from Exploitative Landlords

In a surprising move, Washington, D. C. is using a powerful law meant for organized crime to tackle a different kind of wrongdoing: bad landlords. The city's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against a family accused of running a shady business that provides terrible living conditions to low-inco

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Feb 12 2026FINANCE

Housing Market Hits a Low: Sales Drop Over 8%

The U. S. housing market faced its toughest month yet, with second‑hand home sales falling more than 8% in January. This sharp decline reflects high prices, a tight supply of homes, and growing uncertainty about the economy. The National Association of Realtors reported that 3. 91 million homes wer

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