MarketWatch, June 16, 2021–Dave SebastianAmazon.com Inc. laid out how it would invest part of its roughly $2 billion Housing Equity Fund for affordable housing projects in the Washington, D.C., metro …
Group Newslink: MBA Commercial/Multifamily NewsLink June 17

Commercial Mortgage Debt Outstanding Rises in 1Q as Pandemic Wanes
National Mortgage News, June 15, 2021–Brad Finkelstein (subscription)There was a 1.1% increase in commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding during the first quarter, but the majority was from the housing …

The LIBOR Transition Hatches a ‘Chicken or Egg’ Conundrum
Potomac Point Group, June 14, 2021—Martha-Rosalind “MR” StaintonAfter a year of extreme uncertainty, the particulars of the LIBOR transition seem to be solidifying, at least on the surface. The last …

People Are Returning to Restaurants, Stores and Hotels. But Not Yet the Office
Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2021–Peter Grant (subscription)Office towers and nearby businesses in central business districts are missing out on the strong economic recovery, largely because the rise in vaccinations …

Hotel Industry Emerges from Pandemic with New Business Model, Possibly Fewer Workers
Washington Post, June 14, 2021–Eli RosenbergAs Americans travel more, they are encountering a hotel industry that has undergone dramatic transformations and might never return to its pre-pandemic business model.https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/11/hotel-workers-reduced-cleaning/

Banks’ Biggest CRE Headache: a Dearth of Originations
National Mortgage News, June 14, 2021–Allissa KlineFears of widespread credit losses have largely subsided, but demand for new commercial real estate loans remains lackluster because many companies are sitting on …

Missed Housing Payments Pile on for Homeowners, Renters
First Tuesday Journal, June 14, 2021–Carrie B. Reyes7.7% of U.S. non-subsidized rental households were one or more payments behind on rent, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. While this is …

How the Hotel Sector is Navigating the Economic Reopening
Wealth Management Real Estate, June 14, 2021–Bendix AndersonGuests are already reserving hotel rooms for what is likely to be a very busy summer. But not every hotel segment is likely …

MBA Chart of the Week June 14, 2021: Key Tax Proposals for Commercial Real Estate Finance
The Biden Administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2022 Budget put down in black and white – and dollars and cents – many suggestions that have been made in more general terms in the Administration’s American Jobs and Family Plan, during the most recent presidential campaigns and in some cases going back decades.

Forget Going Back to the Office—People Are Just Quitting Instead
Wall Street Journal, June 13, 2021–Lauren Weber (subscription)More U.S. workers are quitting their jobs than at any time in at least two decades, signaling optimism among many professionals while also …