{"74711":{"#nid":"74711","#data":{"type":"external_news","title":"Prof. Dan Immergluck on Habitat for Humanity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\nhousing market is in a slump, but the basic need for shelter is a constant.\nEnter Habitat for Humanity International - which placed sixth in Builder\nmagazine\u0027s survey of the largest U.S. homebuilders, with 6,032 home closings\nlast year. Despite the many relatively inexpensive homes for sale Habitat is\nfilling a big gap in affordable housing. Observes Stephen Melman, economist for\nthe National Association of Home Builders: \u0022Affordability is close to an\nall-time high because of historically low interest rates and home prices rolled\nback about 10 years or more.\u0022 But, he adds, the requirement for\n\u0022near-perfect credit scores and large down payments\u0022 are shutting out\nbuyers\u2026 \u0022These services are critical right now,\u0022 observes Dan\nImmergluck, professor at the \u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u0022We face a glut of\nvacant homes, and Habitat buyers are one of the few sources of buyers able to\npurchase in many markets.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nwitimes.com\/lifestyles\/home-and-garden\/housing-downturn-is-habitat-for-growth\/article_da83ec1d-174c-5bd0-bee0-92323d6977e5.html#ixzz1gz3cgjQq\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERead more ... \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27293","created_gmt":"2011-12-19 10:34:01","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 02:24:03","author":"Joanie Chembars","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","publication":"state of Georgia impact","field_article_url":"","publication_url":"http:\/\/www.nwitimes.com\/lifestyles\/home-and-garden\/housing-downturn-is-habitat-for-growth\/article_da83ec1d-174c-5bd0-bee0-92323d6977e5.html#ixzz1gz3cgjQq","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1224","name":"School of City \u0026 Regional Planning"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"818","name":"affordable housing"},{"id":"5050","name":"habitat for humanity"},{"id":"11714","name":"professor dan immergluck"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}