The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has started publishing information regarding the physical condition of public housing and multifamily units.

The data can be downloaded state-by-state as PDF documents, or nationwide as a comma-delimited text file at the HUD site.

The initiative is part of President Obama's initiative of making government more open and transparent.

HUD's Real Estate Assessment Center conducts 20,000 inspections each year of properties owned, insured or subsidized by HUD, including public housing and multifamily assisted housing.

Fitch Ratings has assigned a rating of "AAA" to the $102 million VHFA mortgage revenue bonds (Mortgage Backed Securities Program), Series 2009A (escrow bonds).

"AAA" is Fitch's highest rating.

Read more about the offering and the rating at Business Wire.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is looking for ideas on how to improving housing.

The department has created "HUD Ideas in Action," a Web site devoted to collecting ideas on how to invest in quality, affordable homes and build strong, safe, healthy communities.

Anyone can submit ideas to the site, and vote and comment on other people's ideas.

VHFA has made our 2009 Annual Report available online.

Download the report now (496 KB; PDF).

To cut costs and save trees, we'll print a limited number of hardcopies this year, which we'll mail to select members of state government in a couple weeks.