Lease Accounting Update

On May 14, thirteen U.S. Senators sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to Ms. Leslie Seidman, Chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), expressing concern that the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) were preparing to release the latest exposure draft on leases, but had still not released a cost-benefit analysis of the lease accounting proposal.

OMB Government Employee Travel Guidance

In May, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released two memos providing guidance for government employee conference and meeting attendance.

REALTORS® Take Action: Making Smart Growth Happen

Maine Commercial REALTORS® On Board with Sustainable Passenger Rail

Inclusion and Education Empowering Planned Growth in Mississippi

The Small Town Affordability Factor: Community members and creative resources help address affordable housing needs

Although far from the high-priced big cities, rural communities and small towns have their own challenges in providing affordable housing options. Now, leadership in small towns and rural areas is moving ahead on innovative ways to provide affordable housing opportunities.

'By-Passed' No More: Small Cities Make Big Transit Plans for Livability and Sustainability

Small cities and towns are forever being buffeted by the winds of fate. When they are the collection and distribution centers for rural areas, the agricultural economy — changeable as the wind itself — governs all. As a gateway to recreational areas they may fail along with the latest resort to go under, or struggle to maintain their character amid an onslaught of second homes and chain-store commerce. If they are within a longish commute to a major metro area, traffic and sprawl may arrive to swamp a formerly bucolic retreat. Adding to the difficulty, for many years state governments delivered much of their intended economic help in the form of highway by-passes, which often as not drew economic activity away from town centers so that they were by-passed in all senses of the word.

Despite Deep Recession, Small Towns Roar: Mayors in small towns are championing smart growth to create thriving communities

Since the financial downturn, stories of cities in distress have littered the news. That’s why the smart growth of a small town like Jena, La., is so striking.