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US home construction slumped in July

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Josh Boak, Ap Economics Writer Updated 1:37 pm, Wednesday, August 16, 2017 Commerce Department reports on U.S. home construction in July. Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP / Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved." class="landscape" /> Commerce Department reports on U.S. home construction in July." src="src" /> Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 In this Wednesday, March 1, 2017, photo, a forklift is parked in front of one of the houses under construction in a housing plan in Zelienople, Pa. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, the Commerce Department reports on U.S. home construction in July. less In this Wednesday, March 1, 2017, photo, a forklift is parked in front of one of the houses under construction in a housing plan in Zelienople, Pa. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, the Commerce Department reports ... more Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP US home construction slumped in July Back to Gallery WASHINGTON (A...

Housing starts fall in July

WASHINGTON — The Commerce Department said Wednesday that housing starts fell 4 .8 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.16 million. Groundbreakings for multi- family buildings such as apartments slumped 17.1 percent, while single- family house construction slipped 0 .5 percent. Home construction has increased 2.4 percent year-to-date, but the gains have done little to offset the dwindling number of homes listed for sale. The shortage of properties for sale has pushed prices up at a faster pace than income growth, making home ownership less affordable for many would-be buyers. Housing starts dropped in the Northeast, Midwest and West but rose modestly in the South. Building permits, an indicator of future construction, decreased 4.1 percent to 1.22 million. While home construction has increased, it's done little to ease the pressure from a decline in listings for existing homes — a much larger segment of the housing market. The number of sales listings ha...

Captain's Mast - The Seward Phoenix Log

Captain's Mast The following is from the journals of the Seward Police Department . Those who have been arrested or summoned are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Aug. 9 0121 - The night auditor from the Hotel Seward reported AK/LIC JDV548 with its lights on across the street and wanted to make sure that the vehicle owner was not having a problem. Officer found no one in the car. 0131 - RP reported that subject died at Fifth Avenue. Officer responded and notified the Medical Examiner as there was not a comfort one or advanced directive in place. The medical examiner released the body to the family. Aug. 12 1604 - RP found a wallet containing debit cards, from different people, a social security card and a driver’s license near the Chamber of Commerce. Debit cards belonging to a previous case were logged into that case. 1604 - Items found belonging to a previous lost and found case were logged into safe keeping under that case. 1622 - RP reported subject s...

The Grownups: John Altschul, the Elder Statesman of West Hollywood, Knows How to Reach Consensus

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John Altschul with his dog, Ethanol. (Photo by James Mills) EDITOR’S NOTE: The is another in a series of occasional stories titled “The Grownups” about West Hollywood residents 75 years old or older who are active in civic life. He’s been called the elder statesman of West Hollywood . He possesses the leadership, diplomacy, patience, charm and institutional memory necessary to hold that honorary title. More importantly, he has the ear of city leaders, community activists , business leaders and developers that is required of an effective statesman. Although he was not involved with the formation of the city, he became a guiding force in shaping West Hollywood . And this week, John Altschul celebrates his 81st birthday. He reluctantly accepts the idea of being the city’s elder statesman, but would prefer he wasn’t quite so much on the elder side of it (wouldn’t we all!). “ West Hollywood has always been a place where everyone has been so friendly,” says Altschul. “I’ve always felt ...

In SF politics, the action’s in District 6, a bellwether for rest of city

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Take a walk east from the gold-plated cupola of San Francisco City Hall and the landscape transforms into the Tenderloin, a patchwork of residential hotels, small delis and social service clinics that cater to the poor. It winds into the city’s main tourist corridor , and, farther along, a glossy cluster of condominium towers where upper- story penthouses cost millions . These symbols of extreme poverty and prosperity are wedged together in District Six, which serves both as a portal for visitors and a cauldron where San Francisco ’s most pressing political issues simmer . For 20 years, District Six voters have reliably concluded that the solutions to those issues come from the progressive viewpoint. And while it’s more than a year until the next election for supervisor, the contest is already shaping up as a test of whether that is still true. From the Tenderloin to the Mission Bay waterfront , District Six has seen a rush of development over the past two decades, and residents are ...

We love New York business. Here are 25 reasons why

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1. If you can make it here… New York has long been the ultimate testing ground for businesses. But the city’s population density also makes it an important laboratory for startups, especially in today’s on-demand economy. Food- delivery pioneer Seamless survived the dot-com crash, paving the way for the arrival of meal-kit services such as Blue Apron and Plated a decade later. Related View this story in its original print layout Density has also been instrumental to the growth of ride-hailing and car-sharing companies. Most of them, including Uber and Lyft first gained their footing in smaller cities, then made New York their biggest market. Via, the on-demand ride-pooling service, launched here in 2013, is the exception: Its founders chose New York, figuring riders packed together on subways and buses wouldn’t need much persuading to share a car with strangers, especially when it cost just $5. article continues below advertisement App- based transportation startups have flocked t...