Home permit activity held stable for the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, and local builders expect to see continued gradual improvement through this year and into next.

2. Shelby Home Permits Stagnate, Sales Decrease - Wednesday, March 13, 2013

New home permits were flat in February compared to the same month last year. 

Shelby County homebuilders filed 70 permits in February averaging 3,142 square feet and $222,975, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. That compared to 72 permits filed in February 2012, averaging 3,520 square feet and $294,109.

3. Pilot Program Helps Seniors Maintain Independence - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

The MetLife Foundation and Partners for Livable Communities recently selected the Plough Foundation and Memphis to participate in the City Leaders Institute on Aging in Place, a national pilot project striving to help people aged 65 years and older to live independently in their homes.

4. Permits Improve 24 Percent in December - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Keeping in line with 2012’s trends, homebuilding activity in December saw a healthy increase from the same month in 2011.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 51 permits during December 2012, a 24.4 percent increase from the 41 in December 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

5. New-Home Permits Jump 37 Percent in Quarter - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Local homebuilders saw a 37 percent increase in filed permits in the fourth quarter year over year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 202 permits during the final quarter of 2012, compared to 147 in Q4 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

6. Solid Foundation - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Local homebuilders filed 26 percent more permits in 2012 than 2011, the culmination of a dramatic change in the market that began last May.

Shelby County saw 884 permits filed in 2012, up from 700 in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. Overall, sales of new houses in 2012 were basically unchanged with 774 new home sales recorded for the year compared to 781 recorded in 2011.

7. Builder Permits Rise 10 Percent in November - Monday, December 24, 2012

The National Association of Homebuilders said Tuesday, Dec. 18, that sentiment across the homebuilding industry rose to its highest level since the middle of 2006.

National housing permits in November posted a 26.8 percent increase from November 2011. And while they’re not up quite that much, local starts are seeing increases as well.

8. Aim is Fewer Drugs Given to Dementia Patients - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee health officials are training nursing home care providers how to treat dementia patients with fewer drugs – especially those with Alzheimer's disease.

The Tennessean reported statistics collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show about 30 percent of long-term nursing home residents in Tennessee are treated with antipsychotics drugs. The national average is 23.8 percent and federal officials want that cut by 15 percent by year's end.

9. Concerns Continue Over Heritage Trail Tax Increment Financing - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Shelby County officials have reservations about plans to create a tax increment financing zone for the city’s proposed Heritage Trails development area.

The reservations prompted county finance experts to move a recommendation against the proposed tax increment financing district to a private committee meeting last month.

10. Permits Up 89 Percent in October - Thursday, November 29, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 89 percent more new home permits during October compared to October of last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 83 permits last month, a healthy boost from the 44 filed during October 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. October permits also posted a 6 percent increase from the 78 permits filed during September.

11. Heritage Trails Financing Draws Concern - Friday, November 16, 2012

The next stop for an ambitious 20-year redevelopment plan that stretches from the South Downtown area into South Memphis is a Dec. 6 meeting of the Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency.

12. Local Organizations Tout Alzheimer’s Awareness - Wednesday, November 07, 2012

November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and several local organizations are ramping up efforts to increase awareness and education for caregivers and loved ones dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

13. Building Permits Remain Steady in September - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Shelby County homebuilders in September filed 78 permits averaging 3,374 square feet and $263,645, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

14. Anti-Blight Efforts Kick Into High Gear - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

As mid-day traffic made an s-curve in South Parkway, a block of Bullington Avenue behind the trees in the curve was getting a makeover from work crews from several city departments.

And the fourth house on the block to be demolished in a week’s time started to come down Monday, Oct. 15.

15. Building Permits Show Little Change - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Local homebuilders didn’t change much the amount of new home permits they filed during the third quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 218 permits during the quarter (July to September), compared with 216 filed during the same period in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. Third-quarter permits marked a 12 percent drop from the 249 permits filed during the second quarter of this year.

16. City Council to Vote on Discrimination Ordinance - Tuesday, October 16, 2012

With a legal opinion from City Attorney Herman Morris in hand, Memphis City Council members on Tuesday, Oct. 16, again take up an ordinance that would ban the city from discriminating in hiring and promotions based on sexual orientation.

17. Momentum Builds as Money to Fight Northaven Blight Arrives - Monday, October 15, 2012

When Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell announced in Northaven a week ago a $600,000 effort to fight blight in three parts of unincorporated Shelby, he got a lot of questions about the exact terms for home improvements – half of the funding.

18. Broadway Pizza Buys Building for East Memphis Expansion - Tuesday, October 02, 2012

627 S. Mendenhall Road Memphis, TN 38117

Sale Amount: $365,000

Sale Date: Sept. 13, 2012

19. Council to Vote on Cleaborn Homes - Tuesday, October 02, 2012

With a vote Tuesday, Oct. 2, the Memphis City Council will change the name of the old Cleaborn Homes public housing development to Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing and the name of the larger south Downtown-into-South Memphis Triangle Noir plan to Heritage Trails.

20. Crews Holdings Files Loan on 34 Lots in Wolf River Ranch - Thursday, September 27, 2012

Crews Holdings has filed a $1.5 million loan through Triumph Bank on 34 lots in Wolf River Ranch Planned Development in Collierville.

21. Midtown Utopia - Monday, September 24, 2012

Of Memphis’ tales of humble beginnings, of which there are many, the fluctuating renaissance of the Cooper-Young neighborhood is certainly compelling throughout.

The area has cycled from its 19th century roots to 1970s crime and neglect to its present-day status as one of the largest historic districts in the Southeast, a magnet of all ages and walks of life. All thanks to individuals and organizations that wouldn’t settle for sub-par quality in their tiny town within the bustling Bluff City.

22. Difference of Opinion - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s administration and a group of neighborhood leaders in the Vance Avenue area agree on highlighting the significant history of the area south of FedExForum.

Some kind of trail linking up more than a dozen sights is a feature both groups are planning for the area.

23. McBroom Joins Indie Memphis as Director of Operations - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Mandy McBroom has been named director of operations for Indie Memphis, the first full-time staff member to hold the position. In her new role, she will oversee festival operations, shorts programming, volunteer opportunities and membership growth.

24. Tenn. Housing Agency Declines Funds for Disabled Renters - Monday, August 27, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – The state's housing agency declined to apply for up to $12 million in federal rental assistance for people with disabilities, despite a need for housing and recommendations to apply by TennCare, the state's Medicaid agency.

25. United Housing Reaches 2,500th Homeowner - Monday, August 20, 2012

United Housing Inc., a nonprofit housing agency, recently assisted its 2,500th homeowner when Joyce Taylor closed on her first home in the Scenic Hills area of Raleigh.

26. Residential Greening - Monday, July 30, 2012

There was a time not so long ago when potential homebuyers had to demand energy efficiency in new homes.

Nowadays, green features are more of an expectation than an extra.

“I would venture to say that just about everybody asks about energy efficiency,” said Martha Fondren, director of sales and marketing for Grant & Co. “They may not say it in those words, but they ask us about what kind of furnaces we are using, what kind of faucets, what kind of insulation. What are the standard things that people can expect when they walk in the home in order to save them money on the utility bills because that’s a huge expense.”

27. Active Builders - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 54 percent more new home permits during the second quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 247 permits during the quarter (April to June), compared with 160 filed during Q2 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

28. Greene Turbine Works to Harness River’s Energy - Monday, July 09, 2012

Geoff Greene, CEO of Memphis-based Greene Turbine LLC, has dedicated the past 17 years to finding a clean, low-maintenance, economically efficient method of harnessing the power of the mighty Mississippi River to deliver energy into the Tennessee electrical grid.

29. Haslam Honors Local Orgs in Environmental Stewardship - Friday, July 06, 2012

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has recognized two winners in Shelby County for his Environmental Stewardship Awards.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis won the Excellence in Building Green category, chosen for its Sustainable Building Program. During 2011, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis was the top builder of single-family, EcoBUILD-certified homes in Shelby County.

30. SRVS Awarded Grant for Housing Projects - Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s Housing Trust Fund Program has awarded a $690,000 grant to Memphis-based SRVS, West Tennessee’s most comprehensive service provider for people with disabilities, to construct and/or renovate six homes for low-income people with disabilities.

31. Green Building, Design Slowly Take Hold in Memphis Area - Monday, June 25, 2012

When residential and commercial construction hit new boom times – whenever that might be – the rebirth will take place in a new era with new rules.

“People are becoming more environmentally aware, and that’s going to change the market,” said Don Glays, executive director of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association. “There are a lot of advantages to buying green, and people are starting to understand that.”

32. Homebuilding Permits Rise During May - Wednesday, June 13, 2012

May’s new home permit totals saw a significant upswing year over year, and homebuilders attribute the improvement to low inventory levels and low interest rates.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 91 permits in May – a 78 percent increase from the 51 filed during May 2011 – according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

33. Building Blitz - Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Some of the city’s prominent homebuilders huddled up at McDonald’s on Winchester and Tchulahoma roads around 4:30 a.m. on Monday, June 4, trying to decide what the weather had in store for the first morning of the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis/Memphis Area Home Builders Association Home Builders Blitz.

34. Citizens Express Budget Concerns - Thursday, May 24, 2012

Memphis City Council members heard from and saw a lot of opponents of plans to close five Memphis public libraries Tuesday, May 22, during an hour and a half of comments from the public.

“I was going to suggest instead of cutting libraries that you improve them,” said Kaye Veazey.

35. ‘New Enthusiasm’ Yields Permit Rise - Monday, May 14, 2012

While new-home sales remain low, average new-home sales prices are increasing, along with the number of permits and permit amounts.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 75 permits in April – up 36 percent from the 55 filed during April 2011 – according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

36. Habitat for Humanity Preps for Home Builders Blitz - Thursday, May 10, 2012

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis, the Memphis Area Home Builders Association and Emmy Award-winning television personality Steve Thomas will join forces Monday, June 4, to kickoff Habitat for Humanity International’s Home Builders Blitz 2012.

37. Called to Serve - Monday, April 23, 2012

It’s hard to spot changes on the Midtown campus of Rhodes College.

The campus’ landscape is thick with old and massive trees in a part of town known for its impressive canopy of trees. And the difference between new and older buildings on the campus is intentionally hard to tell because the Gothic stone structures are built with rocks from the same quarry in the same style.

38. Foreclosures Up 30 Pct. in Q1 - Thursday, April 19, 2012

The timing and backdrop seem fitting. During the first quarter of 2012, the same three-month period in which the state of Tennessee announced its participation in a $25 billion settlement with some of the biggest lenders over foreclosure abuses, the number of foreclosures in Shelby County swelled by almost 30 percent.

39. Gaining Steam - Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 20 percent more new home permits during the first quarter compared with the same period last year, but industry experts say the market won’t see significant recovery until next year.

40. Cargill Files $1.4M Permit App For Pres. Island Storage Bldg. - Tuesday, April 03, 2012

2615 Channel Ave.
Memphis, TN 38113

Permit Cost: $1.4 million

Permit Date: Applied March 2012

41. Blight Fight - Monday, March 26, 2012

Memphis is one of five cities to receive a $25,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors to demolish about 20 vacant, blighted homes.

More than 30 cities applied for a NAR “Game Changer” grant, a new program with somewhat open-ended criteria centered on bettering the real estate industry and America’s homeowners.

42. Housing Market Slowly Improving - Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Memphis last month was named as one of 29 metropolitan areas to be included on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index, which is now nearing 100 cities.

The index identifies metro areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. Other notable new entrants to the list in February were Miami; Boston; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Salt Lake City.

43. $1.5 Million Loan Filed For Future Vantage Point Golf - Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Future Vantage Point Golf Center

Loan Amount: $1.5 million

Loan Date: Feb. 28, 2012

Maturity Date: March 1, 2037

Borrower: Vantage Point Holdings LLC

44. Parkview Apartments Sells for $2.6 Million - Thursday, March 01, 2012

Collierville-based Parkview Memphis Apartments LP has bought Parkview Apartments at 4616 Scott Crossing Drive from Los Angeles-based City National Bank for $2.6 million.

45. New Home Permits Climb 29 Pct. - Tuesday, February 14, 2012

New home construction was up 28.9 percent last month, and local industry professionals hope the trend continues into spring.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 49 permits in January compared to 38 the same month a year ago, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

46. Permits Remain Flat in 2011 - Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Last year’s new home permits filed by local homebuilders were unchanged from the year prior, and inventory continued to deplete due to lack of demand.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 742 permits during 2011, compared to 740 in 2010, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

47. District Lines on Tap for Commission - Monday, December 19, 2011

Five days is a long time in politics. That’s the gap between the Monday, Dec. 19, meeting of the Shelby County Commission and the special meeting of the commission last Wednesday.

At the special meeting, commissioners again floated a new redistricting plan that would keep the 13-member body at five districts covering all of Shelby County.

48. Permit Increase Implies ‘False Hope’ - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Local homebuilders filed 75 percent more new home permits during November compared to the same month last year, but there are several underlying factors in those artificially high year-over-year totals.

49. Tennessee Solar Study Says Need to Stay Aggressive - Friday, December 09, 2011

KNOXVILLE (AP) – Tennessee's solar and related industries provide more than 6,400 jobs in a growing green economic sector, but the state needs to stay aggressive in supporting and pursuing the ventures, a report released Thursday shows.

50. Moore Takes Reins of Home Builders Association - Tuesday, December 06, 2011

As a homebuilder, philanthropist and body builder, Jimmy Moore is a well-rounded individual.

And as the newly installed president of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, he is poised to lead the trade organization by example and with empathy for its members.

51. Federal Task Force Targets Mortgage Relief Scams - Friday, December 02, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Federal agencies are taking aim at scams and con artists that promise to provide mortgage relief to struggling homeowners.

A newly formed task force will investigate and shut down schemes that prey on homeowners looking to apply for the Home Affordable Modification Program, the agencies said Thursday.

52. Home Permits Up 91 Percent In October - Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Local homebuilders filed 91 percent more new home permits during October compared with the same month last year, thanks to an out-of-town builder’s work in a Whitehaven subdivision.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 107 permits last month, up significantly from 56 in October 2010, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

53. ‘Picture Book’ Setting - Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Going to daycare means going “home” for the preschoolers of Hope House, thanks to an extensive renovation meant to preserve its home-like atmosphere.

54. Grant Installed as State Homebuilders Prez - Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Keith Grant of Keith & David Grant Homes LLC was inducted Saturday, Nov. 5, as 2012 president of the Tennessee Homebuilders Association Inc. – more than 50 years after his grandfather called the first meeting in Nashville.

55. Grant Named President of TN Home Builders Assn. - Monday, October 24, 2011

Keith Grant of Keith & David Grant Homes will be inducted as 2012 president of the Home Builders Association of Tennessee Inc. in a ceremony Nov. 5 at the Memphis Hilton, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd.

56. Home Starts Jump 20 Percent - Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Local homebuilders filed 20 percent more new home permits during the third quarter compared to last year, giving 2011 its best quarter so far, but experts say there are still obstacles on the horizon.

57. Memphis Habitat Receives $20K From THA - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis recently received $20,000 from Tennessee Housing Development Agency and Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee’s Coming Back Home Grant.

The grant will be used for home construction this fall in Trinity Park, Memphis Habitat’s neighborhood of 38 eco-friendly homes. The affiliate also received a $20,000 Coming Back Home Grant in March.

58. Sneed Promoted At Humane Society - Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Kerry Sneed has been promoted to community outreach and humane education coordinator at the Humane Society of Memphis.

59. SRVS Receives Four Grants - Wednesday, September 21, 2011

SRVS recently received several grants. The United Way of the Mid-South awarded SRVS its G. Bradley Wanzer Award for Excellence. With the award, SRVS received $25,000 to continue its work of supporting people with disabilities in the community and building a new day center as part of its capital expansion project “Building Dreams Campaign.”

60. Architecture Inc.’s Schuermann Receives Chairman Appointment - Wednesday, September 14, 2011

David M. Schuermann, AIA, NCARB, principal at Architecture Inc., has been named chairman of the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners.

61. $8M Apt. Project on Tap for Mud Island - Thursday, September 08, 2011

The developers of a roughly $8 million apartment development planned for Mud Island are scheduled to go before the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. Tuesday, Sept. 13, to apply for a nine-year tax freeze for the project.

62. New Apartment Development Planned for Mud Island - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

The developers of a roughly $8 million apartment development planned for Mud Island are scheduled to go before the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. Tuesday to apply for a 9-year tax freeze for the project.

63. Let There Be Light - Monday, August 29, 2011

This fall, a group of 1,000 Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division customers move deeper into a three-year, futuristic-sounding “Smart Grid” test project that began this past January.

They volunteered last year to get new automated meters for their homes, and half of them got a wireless digital counter top readout for inside their homes that allows them to watch their electricity usage. With a computer dashboard readout they can also follow trends for energy usage over time, and the device even suggests scenarios for cutting costs.

64. New-Home Permits Improve 12 Percent - Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Local homebuilder permits saw a healthy bump last month, and industry experts said the rest of year looks promising as well.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 61 permits in July, an 11.7 percent increase from 55 filed the same month a year ago and a 35.5 percent increase from 45 filed in June, according to the real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

65. Building Permit Filed for Cleaborn Homes Bldg. - Friday, August 12, 2011

The Memphis Housing Authority has filed a building permit for construction of an 84-unit, four-story building on the site of what until recently was the Cleaborn Homes public housing development.

The $8.2 million permit is for a new apartment building at 460 S. Lauderdale St., according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

66. MC Ionic Solutions US Begins Work on Fite Rd. Site - Tuesday, July 19, 2011

2665 Fite Road
Memphis, TN 38127
Permit Amount: $1.3 million

Permit Date: Applied July 2011

67. Bloomberg Philanthropies Grants Memphis $4.8M - Friday, July 15, 2011

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls it the “Mayors Project.” The $4.8 million, three-year grant his foundation announced Thursday, July 14, it is giving the city of Memphis is part of $24 million the Bloomberg Philanthropies will give to five cities including Memphis.

68. Details Emerge About Bloomberg's $4.8M Memphis Grants - Thursday, July 14, 2011

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls it the “Mayors Project.”

The $4.8 million, three-year grant his foundation announced Thursday, July 14, it is giving the city of Memphis is part of $24 million the Bloomberg Philanthropies will give to five cities including Memphis.

69. Grants Buy Lots in Kensington PD - Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Three companies related to the Grant family of homebuilders have bought the remaining 105 lots in Arlington’s Kensington Planned Development for a combined $2.6 million from BancorpSouth Bank. Kensington was approved for 109 lots on 45.4 acres.

70. ‘Worse and Worse’ - Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Local homebuilders filed 35 percent fewer new home permits for the second quarter compared to last year, and experts say there’s a ways to go before signs of recovery emerge.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 142 permits during Q2 (April to June), down from 220 in Q2 2010, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

71. Crittenden Regional Hospital Foundation Approves Six Grants - Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Crittenden Regional Hospital Foundation announced this month it has approved six grant requests for health care equipment totaling more than $25,000. The foundation accepted grant applications from hospital staff over the first half of 2011 and evaluated requests for updated and new equipment for the hospital’s service lines.

72. McKinley Park Opening to be Held Saturday - Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A grand opening of the McKinley Park subdivision and the homeownership phase of the 30-home Hope VI development will be held Saturday, June 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Downtown subdivision, 679 E. Georgia Ave.

73. $800K Grant to Help Public Housing Residents - Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Nearly $800,000 in federal funding is on its way to the city of Memphis to prepare public housing residents for life outside the vanishing developments.

And Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. hinted this week that much more in U.S. Housing and Urban Development funding is on the way shortly for other parts of the ongoing move in the city away from public housing.

74. Permits Dip 21 Percent in May - Friday, June 10, 2011

While local homebuilders filed fewer permits in May than they did during the same month a year ago, average sales price – of both pulled permits and builder new-home sales – saw a significant leap.

75. Nashville Getting Another $22 Million in Relief - Wednesday, June 08, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – More than a year after severe flooding inundated Nashville neighborhoods, the city is receiving an additional $22.3 million in federal recovery funds.

The money is in the form of block grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to The Tennessean. The funding is in addition to $10.7 million the city received in September and more than half will go into housing.

76. Love, Passion Fuel Hope House’s Randall - Friday, May 27, 2011

When asked to sum up the overarching theme of her life, Maria Randall, without hesitation, answers, “Passion.”

77. Builder Struggles Continue Into Spring - Tuesday, May 10, 2011

As permits decline and construction costs rise, local builders urge prospective buyers to act now before the price of new homes continues to climb.

Shelby County builders filed 46 new home permits in April, a 58 percent decrease from 111 permits in April 2010, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

78. Smaller, Greener Homes New Focus for Builders - Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The characteristics, features and sizes of new homes are evolving, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders that delves into what is anticipated for the industry by the year 2015.

79. Q1 Foreclosures See 23 Pct. Decline - Thursday, April 14, 2011

On the surface, it might seem like an economic problem that has long bedeviled Shelby County is getting better.

The number of foreclosures in the first quarter of 2011 dropped to 1,089 from 1,420 in Q1 2010, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

80. Cleaborn Homes Demolition Begins - Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Cleaborn Homes, a defining part of the inner city landscape south of Downtown Memphis for decades, began to fall Tuesday morning.

Demolition of the public housing development and others began as a goal of the Herenton administration and continues with the Wharton administration.

81. Cleaborn Homes Demolition Begins - Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Cleaborn Homes, a defining part of the inner city landscape south of Downtown Memphis for decades, began to fall Tuesday morning.

Demolition of the public housing development and others began as a goal of the Herenton administration and continues with the Wharton administration.

82. Q1 Permits Slip 29 Percent - Tuesday, April 12, 2011

For the first time in recent history, homebuilder sales didn’t exceed starts in the first quarter, a sign that demand has caught up with supply.

But both numbers – sales and starts – decreased from the same period a year ago, halting the notion that housing recovery is imminent.

83. City Eyes End to Public Housing Projects - Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Chain link fences went up around the four Memphis Housing Authority high-rises earlier this month.

The renovation work that is about to begin on the public housing units in the next year comes as the city prepares to begin demolition of Cleaborn Homes on April 12.

84. Homebuilding Points to Improvement - Friday, March 18, 2011

Shelby County builders filed 70 permits last month – a 16.7 percent increase from 60 permits in February 2010 – a sign that the market may be able to salvage a decent first quarter.

February’s activity also marked a 191.7 percent leap from January’s showing with 24 permits and an 89.2 percent uptick from December’s 37, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

85. Nonprofits, Biz Use QR Codes to Raise Money, Awareness - Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Local businesses and nonprofit organizations are using quick response codes to make information retrieval easier than ever.

Made popular in Japan by Toyota in the 1990s, QR codes are making a splash in the Bluff City by bringing consumers with smart phones one step closer to businesses seeking to offer their services. Users can download a free QR code-scanning application, such as QuickMark or NeoReader, for their iPhone, Android or other brand of smart phone. Then, the phone’s camera scans the code, taking the user straight to a link – no typing or searching required.

86. Grant & Co. to Launch Joint Advertising Initiative - Monday, February 28, 2011

As companies reduce advertising efforts to cope with the slumping economy, Grant & Co. has created a marketing program with its vendors where they are able to pool their money together for radio advertising.

87. NHOM Brings Housing Opportunities to Working Poor - Friday, February 25, 2011

For more than two decades, Neighborhood Housing Opportunities Management Executive Director Howard Eddings and his team have worked to rebuild Memphis neighborhoods most plagued by urban decay, whose broken windows and overgrown lots have become familiar eyesores in the wake of the Great Recession.

88. Clark Carries on Family Tradition - Thursday, January 13, 2011

David Clark comes from a long line of construction industry professionals.

His grandfather, John C. Clark Jr., started building homes back in 1942, and his cousin, Ben Clark, has been involved in the subdivision business for more than 20 years.

89. Building Blocks - Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Shelby County builders filed 681 new home permits last year, a 13.8 percent increase from 587 permits in 2009 according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

90. Life Savers - Wednesday, December 22, 2010

In a city beleaguered by pet overpopulation, Memphis Animal Services employees last week prepared to euthanize a female Rottweiler whose heartworm-positive status in the kill-shelter had initially deemed her unadoptable.

91. Your Gift Makes a Difference - Friday, December 17, 2010

Sometimes we wonder, “Does my gift make a difference?” Whether it is a gift of $25 or $25,000, we don’t always know if our gift “matters.”

We may feel our gift is too small or we may feel pressured by other financial obligations. There are many places for money to go and not all of them are charitable not-for-profit organizations.

92. Nonprofit Necessity - Monday, December 06, 2010

Something had to change.

In mid-2008, Sallie Johnson became executive director of Memphis Literacy Council, a 30-year-old nonprofit literacy organization with a strong reputation for programming that was facing funding issues caused by a rapidly disintegrating economy.

93. Adding Value - Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Many of the Mid-South’s most successful homebuilders are weathering the slowdown in home sales across the region by getting creative to lower prices and attract potential buyers.

Sales have been down across the area, and with the traditionally slower winter sales months ahead savvy builders are looking to tweak their product to meet market demands.

94. Petty Joins Phoenix Power Group - Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Doug Petty has joined Phoenix Power Group as the new vice president of sales and marketing.

Hometown: Memphis
Education: I hold B.S. degrees in chemistry and industrial hygiene from the University of North Alabama
Work Experience: I worked for 10 years as a specialty hospital sales representative for Merck Pharmaceuticals. For nine years I was a senior industrial hygienist for EnSafe Inc.
Activities you enjoy outside of work: You can usually find me on a golf course, but I also spend time singing and playing guitar in the Memphis area. I enjoy watching Tigers football and basketball games and cooking out with friends.
Who has had the greatest influence on you? My parents are my greatest influences. I obviously chose wisely.
What drew you to Phoenix Power Group? I was drawn to the opportunity to become involved on the ground floor of such an innovative, revolutionary system. In addition, this was a chance to be associated with a talented and experienced group of professionals and investors. Based on my years of professional experience, I know a good thing when I see it.
What does your job as VP of sales and marketing entail? Our company utilizes breakthrough technology to convert used oil into electricity in an environmentally responsible manner. My position utilizes my background in environmental science, regulation, and high-performance marketing and sales. My specific responsibilities include managing regulatory affairs, developing marketing materials, training and distributor support.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? It would have to be the relationships that I’ve built with co-workers, clients and customers over the years. Those are things that can’t be measured on a spreadsheets or sales reports. Winning the Regional Medical Center’s 2007 Pharmaceutical Representative of the Year Award certainly comes to mind.
What do you most enjoy about your work? The level of excitement and energy around the PPG organization is remarkable. I’ve been looking for the opportunity to help launch a potential “Next Big Thing” for quite a long time. It is hard not to be excited when your field of work is always pushing the edge and creating new challenges and opportunities. No one has done what we are doing, so we really are a “new” idea. That comes with challenges and benefits; but there is something unique about “creating” a product, something that a cubicle just can’t offer.

95. Homeowners Say Loan Mods Led Them to Foreclosure - Tuesday, November 09, 2010

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Grocery store owners William and Esperanza Casco were making enough money to stay current on their mortgage, but when JPMorgan Chase & Co. offered a plan that reduced their payments, they figured they could use the extra cash and signed up.

96. Real Estate Recycling - Monday, November 08, 2010

If sustainability is defined as reuse of land and/or structures for new purposes, Hickory Hill may be the capital of the concept in Memphis.

Consider New Direction Christian Church, which found a home in a vacant big box store and now plans to transform a vacant and blighted apartment complex into a charter middle and high school with a performing arts center. The bulldozers began demolishing the Marina Cove apartments complex last month.

97. DeSoto’s Housing Market Levels Out - Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The DeSoto County residential market seems to be leveling off after several years of declining numbers. Sales figures for the year-to-date are slightly up, showing small surges and dropoffs after possibly bottoming out in 2008 and 2009.

98. United Housing Continues Work in Scenic Hills - Friday, October 15, 2010

With the help of local church volunteers, United Housing Inc. is continuing its affordable housing efforts in the Scenic Hills neighborhood of Raleigh this Saturday.

99. Builders Hoping for Market Turnaround - Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Local homebuilders matched the number of new-home permits for the third quarter compared to last year, but the recent data indicates the market is facing a doubled-edged sword.

Homebuilders filed 151 permits in Shelby County during Q3 (July 1 to Sept. 30), just one permit shy from 152 permits the same quarter last year, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. New homes during Q3 averaged 3,010 square feet and $207,216 in value.

100. Shelby County Receives Grant for "Defending Childhood" - Monday, September 27, 2010

Shelby County is one of eight demonstration sites for a new Justice Department initiative aimed at the exposure of children to violence, either as victims or witnesses.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the division of the $1.2 million in federal funding in Washington last week.