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» VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM 7 A look at facts you didn't know you couldn't live without. Compiled by the DS News Staff According to FHFA Director Melvin Watt at the 2017 Federal Home Loan Bank Directors' Conference, the FHLBanks' 2016 net income generated $392 million in Affordable Housing Program funding, which pushed the average contribution for the last five years to over $300 million a year. A study published by the National Association of Realtors titled "Impact of Tax Reform on Owner Occupied Housing" found that middle-class homeowners with adjusted gross incomes between $50,000 to $200,000 would see an average tax increase of $815; however, homeowners outside of that bracket would likely see a reduction in taxes. THE FIGHT AGAINST NEIGHBORHOOD BLIGHT INSIDE THE JOURNAL // MOVERS & SHAKERS // ON THE WEB // THE APP SPECTRUM TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE NUMBERS D ATA B I T S Source: ATTOM Data Solutions' 2016 Property Tax Analysis THE CITIES WITH THE BEST— AND WORST—AVERAGE CREDIT SCORES IN AMERICA 1. The Villages, Florida 804 2. Sun City West, Arizona 789 3. Green Valley, Arizona 780 4. Saratoga, California 777 5. Los Altos, California 776 6. Needham, Massachusetts 774 7. Lexington, Massachusetts 773 8. Pittsford, New York 770 9. Princeton Junction, New Jersey 770 10. Potomac, Maryland 768 WORST CREDIT CITIES 1. Camden, New Jersey 547 2. Pinon, Arizona 549 3. Chester, Pennsylvania 552 4. Highland Park, Michigan 552 5. Riverdale, Illinois 558 6. Inkster, Michigan 563 7. East Orange, New Jersey 564 8. Detroit, Michigan 565 9. Irvington, New Jersey 566 10. Harvey, Illinois 566 Ranking City and State Credit Score Ranking City and State Credit Score PAGE 30 SVP, REO and Valuations Selene Finance FIVE MINUTES WITH WITH Mitch Oringer Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed a fast-track foreclosure law last month that will expedite the foreclosure process with the intent to reduce community blight, following the footsteps of a similar bill in Ohio. "Blight caused by vacant properties is a serious problem in certain Maryland communities," said Delegate Marvin Holmes, sponsor of the House bill. "e longer properties remain vacant–the greater the chance problems will occur, including vandalism, crime, and lower property values." is bill could be the push other states need to move forward with their own fast- track foreclosure bills. "Vacant and abandoned properties are a community crisis of national proportion," said Five Star President and CEO Ed Delgado. "e bills introduced in Ohio and Maryland provide other states the needed incentive to make progress towards ensuring that these magnets for crime and drugs will be quickly rehabilitated and promote the safety and stability of neighborhoods across the nation." Robert Klein, Founder and Chairman of Community Blight Solutions, has been a leading advocate of the bill. We spoke with Klein on the impact of this bill in the fight against community blight in states and communities across the country. "It's very significant," said Klein. "Both the Ohio bill and the Maryland bill passed unanimously; not many bills pass unanimously. is bill was debated quite a bit by the Maryland legislators, and they all came to the conclusion that having a property vacant and abandoned for two years is the wrong thing for community blight. So now we're seeing a number other states looking at it closely and considering it, like New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania." What Klein notes is the more proactive approach states are taking toward the problem of community blight. "I feel like we're finally reaching a stage where the industry and communities and states are looking at the whole community blight and properties sitting out there with a more proactive approach," said Klein. "Everything has been reactive-the property has already been vandalized, the property has already caused community blight. I think this fast track of vacant and abandoned properties is the first step in being a proactive approach, to not allow the property to become a community blight." "The longer properties remain vacant–the greater the chance problems will occur, including vandalism, crime, and lower property values. This bill could be the push other states need to move forward with their own fast- track foreclosure bills. - Marvin Holmes (D-Prince George's) BEST CREDIT CITIES

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