AGP Executive Report

Bridge & Infrastructure: MassDOT shared new renderings for the $2.1B Sagamore Bridge replacement, including wider lanes and a protected pedestrian/cyclist path, plus traffic plans during construction. Cross-Border Trade: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opens Monday after a Canada-only ceremony Friday, with U.S.-Canada tariff fights keeping the U.S. out of the joint celebration. Housing Market: New home sales rose 1.6% in June to a 628,000 annual rate, but mortgage rates near 6.58% and prices still restrain buyers. Local Housing Policy: A growing wave of state ADU laws is helping families build backyard units for multigenerational living. Data Centers & Power Costs: Trump expanded a “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” to shield consumers from data-center infrastructure bills, while critics call it unenforceable. Fraud & Property: New court filings detail alleged scammers impersonating Concord landowners to secretly sell property. Construction Watch: Rhode Island construction employment fell 1.8% year over year. Insurance: Florida’s tort reforms cut claims and lawsuits, but homeowners still aren’t seeing real savings.

AI Data Centers & Power Costs: Trump’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” says Big Tech should pay for grid upgrades tied to AI data centers, as communities push back over electricity, water, and land impacts. Housing & Homelessness: Berkeley’s encampment removal lawsuit was certified as a class action, while Olympia, Wash. warns it needs more state help to manage its “Jungle” encampment and move residents into housing. Local Housing Funding: Enid, Okla. is weighing CDBG money to finish an affordable housing project, and Bloomington, Ill. hosted experts on homelessness and shelter progress. Construction & Infrastructure: Iowa DOT opened public input for a bridge replacement near Emerson on U.S. 59 over U.S. 34, and the U.S.-Canada Gordie Howe bridge is set to open Monday amid tariff tension. Forestry & Rural Development: USDA announced $80M in guaranteed loans to expand timber processing in Nevada and Oregon to boost forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Disaster Relief: SBA disaster loans are available for storm-hit Pennsylvania and Iowa homeowners, renters, and businesses. Real Estate Legal Notices: A Toledo, Ohio foreclosure case notice was published for a Rohr Dr property. Trade & Tariffs: New double-digit tariffs on dozens of countries are set as stopgap levies expire, adding uncertainty for construction and housing supply chains.

Housing & Demographics: A new Mortgage Bankers Association outlook warns the U.S. may shift from a shortage of homes to a shortage of buyers as deaths start outnumber births after 2030, with affordability still the main brake on first-time purchases. Affordability Pressure on Families: A Washington Post analysis finds elder-care costs can wipe out savings and even force adult children to spend their own money, undercutting the “generational wealth” narrative. Construction & Local Housing Supply: Xavier University is building an $81M, 852-bed Residence Village in New Orleans to ease student housing demand, targeting an August 2027 move-in. Procurement Rules: North Carolina eliminated its HUB office and repealed the statutory HUB framework effective July 1, changing how minority- and women-owned participation goals work on public contracts. Community Impacts: Redfin reports many home buyers oppose nearby data centers, citing fears for home values, affordability, and neighborhood quality. Infrastructure Updates: South Dakota crews begin a $4.5M asphalt surface treatment program across multiple counties, with about 15-minute delays expected.

Defense Funding: The U.S. House narrowly passed a record $1.15T Pentagon policy bill, boosting military construction and pushing a missile-defense “Golden Dome” concept forward as the Iran war drags on. Cross-Border Infrastructure: The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to open Monday after years of delays, with major time savings for commuters and truckers and cheaper tolls expected to shift traffic patterns. Data Centers vs. Communities: In St. Louis and across rural states, residents are pushing back on AI data centers over water, power, secrecy, and weak local input—turning the issue into a political wedge in places like Texas. Housing & Civil Rights: HUD is telling colleges to stop race-based “affinity” housing, while Chicago’s landlord relocation rule survives court scrutiny, shaping how rental markets handle foreclosed properties. Policy & Permitting: USDA’s proposed AFIDA reporting overhaul could add national-security scrutiny to some data center land and financing deals. Local Development Dollars: Pennsylvania announced $8.6M+ in redevelopment grants, and Indiana moved to reimburse local governments for missed gas-tax revenue.

Industrial Real Estate: Colliers says the U.S. industrial market is regaining balance as demand outpaces new supply, with vacancy stabilizing (Q2 vacancy down to 7.3%). Local Governance: West Virginia’s Greenbrier/Omni refinancing fight heads back to court as a judge presses for responses, showing how delays can stall major real estate deals. Infrastructure & Growth: Lisbon unveiled plans for a new airport (Aeroporto Luis de Camoes) with construction starting in 2029 and operations targeted for 2035—another big development pipeline signal. Construction Updates: North Bay Grading and Paving marks 15 years while completing a 54,000-square-foot Coast Guard resurfacing phase in Novato, using about 715 tons of asphalt. Power & Data Centers: A Virginia transmission routing dispute highlights mounting friction between grid upgrades and data-center-driven electricity demand. Housing & Policy: HUD suspended Virgin Islands housing funds over corruption findings, while mayors push to end federal SNAP cuts that are worsening affordability pressures. Clean Air: AG William Tong won a court order forcing EPA to implement stronger soot standards, tying construction and emissions to public health. Energy Materials: Sila raised $300M to scale U.S. battery anode production at its Moses Lake plant, aiming to expand capacity up to 250 GWh. Skilled Trades: BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google launched a skilled trades training push to help fill 2.1M roles by 2030.

Public Works Bids: Clackamas County is taking sealed bids for the $200,000 Barlow Center Head Start Improvements Project in Canby, with bids due Aug. 26 and a tight 65-day path to substantial completion. Housing & Affordability: Fort Wayne launched a zero-interest roof replacement loan program for eligible low-income homeowners, offering up to $20,000 with HUD funding. Transit & Development: City of Cocoa, Fla. secured a $2 million state grant to build an access road for a planned Brightline station, targeting a 2030 opening. Energy Efficiency: Puerto Rico’s weatherization push finished upgrades in 103 low-income homes, aiming to cut energy costs and improve safety. AI Data Centers & Local Impact: Rep. Terri Sewell cosponsored a temporary moratorium on new AI data center construction until federal “guardrails” are set. Tech & Jobs: NVIDIA broke ground on a Fort Worth “AI factory” tied to a $700 million investment and 800 jobs, signaling more U.S. supercomputer production. Market Pressure: Zillow says hundreds of thousands of empty for-sale lots could help ease the home shortage, while other coverage highlights affordability strain for younger buyers.

Transportation & Infrastructure: NCDOT is rolling out a new “reduced conflict intersection” traffic pattern at Winkler Mill Road/Winkler Mill Road Extension with U.S. 421 in Wilkesboro, using U-turn lanes and updated signals to cut collision points. Water & Aging Systems: Town of Hempstead says it has spent thousands on upgrades to Levittown Water District’s 1,4-dioxane treatment, while it continues legal action against manufacturers; in St. Augustine, older pipes are driving more slab leaks and insurance scrutiny. Coastal Resilience: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a ~$7.0M contract for shoreline erosion protection at Snow’s Cut, and Buffalo District approved ~$15.5M to repair Bird Island Pier on the Niagara River. Local Real Estate Finance: Citizens Bank will end relationships with CoreCivic and GEO over “changed commercial circumstances,” a move that could ripple through detention-related development and lending. Industrial Real Estate Demand: Colliers reports U.S. industrial vacancy edging down to 7.3% in Q2 2026 as absorption outpaced deliveries, signaling stabilization. Housing Policy & Migration: New migration data show Texans and other Sun Belt states gaining residents while California, New York, and Illinois lose—reshaping housing demand and local tax bases. Major Construction Pipeline: Hartford’s planned $345M federal courthouse is moving forward as two teams compete for the design-build contract, with construction targeted for 2027.

Housing Policy: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now law, aiming to speed builds and limit future corporate buying of single-family homes (capped at 350), with Washington state experts saying any price impact won’t be immediate. Data Centers & Power: A new look at data-center demand shows why utilities are planning for massive, steady electricity loads as AI ramps up. Local Development: Mahomet, Illinois is moving ahead with a 17,000-square-foot entertainment center (bowling, arcade, restaurant, bar) tied to a nearby hotel. Construction/Infrastructure Funding: Colorado’s Colorado Connector passenger rail project could go to voters via a sales-tax ballot measure to fund later phases. Retirement & Homeownership Reality Check: A Minneapolis Fed analysis says the headline homeownership rate overstates true ownership because it’s based on housing units, not people. Market/Design Trends: London office leasing is getting harder for buildings without air conditioning as heat becomes a dealbreaker. Energy/Permitting: Graphite One’s Ohio anode-material plant advanced into technical review for its air permit. Immigration & Public Safety: ICE-related scrutiny continues after a Houston shooting case where a substance in the van was disputed as salt vs. drugs. Trade/Costs: Trump’s new 50% tariffs on Canadian goods raise concerns about higher prices, with knock-on effects for construction-related imports.

Industrial Real Estate Deal: Brookfield and CPPIB agreed to buy LXP Industrial Trust in a US$5.2B all-cash transaction, a fresh signal that big money still wants U.S. logistics space. Housing Policy & Development: New York’s Buffalo is moving ahead with a $250M redevelopment at the Marine Drive public housing complex, including all-electric upgrades and major funding support through tax credits and subsidies. Mortgage Basics: A new guide breaks down conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loan options to help homebuyers match loan type to credit, down payment, and property price. AI, Data Centers & Real Estate Tech: Meta is reportedly in early talks with Anthropic for a compute deal that could be worth about $10B, while local pushback on data centers is also growing—both themes that can shape future construction and leasing demand. Brokerage Expansion: Windermere named Diana Wall as its first Chief Growth Officer to accelerate expansion across its independent brokerage platform. Market Watch: Miami-Dade existing-home sales jumped 14.3% in June, with luxury demand staying strong. Home Costs: A new LendingTree analysis finds home insurance can now outweigh property taxes in some states, especially in the South. Federal Housing Law: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law July 11, aiming to boost supply and affordability through dozens of initiatives. Construction & Local Impacts: South Dakota will deploy temporary traffic signals and speed reductions during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, affecting travel around key highway intersections.

AI & Semiconductors: TSMC says it’s expanding its Arizona buildout with an additional $100B (total $265B) to meet strong, multi-year demand for AI chips, while flagging a construction-labor shortage. Global Capital Flows: The UAE’s XRG, ADNOC and Masdar have invested $85B+ in U.S. energy assets across 19 states, building an integrated energy and industrial platform. Housing & Wealth Pressure: A new look at the “great wealth transfer” finds many baby boomers are still carrying big mortgages and debt, forcing adult children to cover costs—raising concerns for younger families’ retirement and housing stability. Consumer Debt & Defaults: A Pew Charitable Trusts report says Utahns being sued for unpaid debt are up 23% since 2019 as household debt hits record levels. Local Real Estate/Construction: A Tulsa foundation repair firm says it’s licensing its proprietary steel pier designs to manufacturers nationwide, aiming to address reactive-clay settlement issues. Campus Tech: Starship is pulling its food delivery robots from UW–Madison, shifting robots to grocery and hot-food delivery in cities across Europe and the U.S. Infrastructure & Permits: Charlotte County begins a Bermont Road lane closure for guardrail repairs, a reminder that small roadwork can still disrupt commutes.

Data Center Policy: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled an “Affordable and Responsible Growth” plan urging data center firms to sign a pledge and cover full costs so residents don’t face higher energy bills, with calls to codify guardrails in state law. Housing & Affordability: A new report says no U.S. metro is affordable for minimum-wage renters of a one-bedroom, using the 30% rule—highlighting how rent pressure keeps squeezing entry-level households. First-Time Buyer Snapshot: WalletHub ranked Huntsville among the best cities for first-time buyers, citing a balance of affordability, taxes, and quality of life. Construction & Infrastructure: Road and highway work continues across states, including lane closures and detours tied to major projects like Florida’s I-4 shifts and Vermont interstate paving/bridge work. Energy & Real Estate Impact: An offshore wind milestone off Long Island shows how utility-scale projects are reshaping coastal development and local power supply. Geopolitics With Local Ripples: U.S.-Iran strikes escalated again, with Iran claiming a hit at the Darkhovin nuclear site under construction—raising uncertainty for shipping and energy markets that can feed into housing costs.

Housing & Local Finance: Madison County, Virginia officials are weighing impact fees on rezoning for housing and other revenue tools to reduce reliance on property taxes as growth strains budgets. Federal Housing Support: Sen. Mark Warner announced $2M for Harrisonburg’s Lineweaver Annex renovation, part of a broader push to close the national housing gap. Affordable Housing in NYC: NYC HPD launched an affordable housing lottery for 39 units at 3547 Webster Avenue in the Bronx, targeting households up to 130% of AMI. Construction & Infrastructure: Vermont’s planned I-89 and I-91 paving and bridge work will bring night and ramp closures, while Ohio DOT projects include SR-327 bridge replacement and SR-124 culvert replacements. Data Centers vs. Communities: Opponents staged nationwide protests against AI data center expansion, arguing for more scrutiny over water, power, and local impacts. Real Estate Crime: A former Hinesville Housing Authority executive director was indicted in a wire fraud case tied to alleged false invoices and kickbacks. Housing Market Signals: Reports highlight June housing starts and permits shifting, but affordability remains a central concern.

Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac says the average 30-year fixed rate jumped to 6.55%, the highest in nearly a year, pushing monthly costs higher for homebuyers. Housing Sales & Marketing: TERAMOK says new-construction presales are starting before groundbreaking and video is replacing brochures as the “moment of decision,” a shift that could reshape how developers launch projects in 2026. Local Housing & Homelessness: Grand Traverse County backed a Housing and Homelessness Task Force plan, aiming for a formal implementation push by year-end. Construction & Permits: Roofing permits are surging after hail damage, with cities reporting unusually high volumes of permits and strained staffing. EV Charging Reality Check: A new look at home EV charging warns the “gray box” breaker/panel setup can become the bottleneck for faster charging adoption. Policy & Voting: The SAVE America Act is still snarling Congress and even affecting how lawmakers handle a bipartisan housing bill. Market Watch: U.S. business formation stayed strong, with nearly 3.5M new businesses in the first half of 2026.

Water Infrastructure Push: The Senate EPW Committee unanimously advanced the WRDA 2026, a bipartisan package now headed to the Senate floor to fund safe drinking water, wastewater upgrades, flood risk work, ecosystem restoration, and navigation. Local Housing Repair: Marshall, Michigan’s city council is planning a fresh shot at a CDBG-backed home repair program after the first application was denied, with rules focused on owner-occupied homes and specific rehab scopes. Housing Policy Win: AIA is hailing the new “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” as a major housing win for architects, pointing to expanded CDBG use, tools to convert vacant buildings, and zoning/land-use best-practice guidance. Road & Transit Buildout: North Carolina’s I-26 West widening in Buncombe County reached a milestone with westbound lanes opening in a final traffic pattern, while Illinois begins bridge and road repairs on U.S. 20 and N. Galena Ave. Community Space in Action: Renton, Washington unveiled Legacy Square, a long-vacant downtown site turned into a park and event hub as part of a broader revitalization plan. Data Center Pressure: A new report explains how data centers use renewable energy credits to claim “100% renewable” status, while Flint Riverkeeper outlines local water concerns tied to Georgia data center growth. Construction Costs & Risk: Colorado’s PFAS contamination forced a historic farm away from edible crops, now shifting land use to flowers—an example of how environmental contamination reshapes property and community plans. Public Safety & Infrastructure: FHWA removed several “proven safety countermeasures” from its list, drawing criticism from lawmakers who say bike lanes and speed cameras save lives. Housing Supply Signals: New York’s first-in-the-nation data center moratorium adds to the broader fight over land use, power, and local impacts.

Housing & Rates: Mortgage rates jumped again as the Iran conflict escalated, with the 30-year fixed-rate average rising to 6.55% and homebuyer applications slipping. Construction Outlook: U.S. single-family starts fell for a third straight month in June, while permits for future building hit the lowest level in 10 months—higher borrowing costs and too many unsold homes are still weighing on builders. Local Infrastructure: St. George, Utah won a $23.5M federal grant for two I-15 underpasses to improve safety and cut congestion, with construction expected this fall. Housing Supply & Policy: A new federal housing law is expected to help over time, but analysts say benefits from faster reviews and zoning changes won’t show up immediately. Data Centers & Power: New York’s pause on large AI data centers is drawing pushback as utilities warn the grid is strained; meanwhile, communities from Virginia to North Carolina are debating water and electricity impacts. Property Taxes: Montgomery County, Texas still has thousands of homes missing from property tax rolls, highlighting staffing pressure on appraisal districts. Affordable Housing: Heber City, Utah’s affordable project is back on track for 2028 construction after a long delay tied to local approvals.

Election Security Clash: Trump’s primetime claims about election vulnerabilities drew pushback, with released documents and prior intelligence assessments not backing his most aggressive statements. Housing Policy: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law, with lawmakers pitching it as a way to cut red tape and lower home costs, while critics warn about implementation. Mortgage & Affordability Pressure: Inflation hit a three-year high in May on rising gas and other costs, and mortgage rates jumped again, adding strain for buyers. Construction & Wages: ADP data shows pay rising fastest in financial, manufacturing, and construction firms, even as broader affordability remains shaky. Permitting for Critical Minerals: Resolution Minerals secured a second FAST-41 designation for its Golden Gate project in Idaho, aiming to speed federal approvals tied to strategic minerals. Local Development Watch: An outdoor storage facility off U.S. 17 in Shallotte, N.C., won approval, signaling continued demand for practical land-use changes. Infrastructure: The I-69 Ohio River Crossing project announced design updates, including new roundabouts and traffic restrictions tied to the future corridor.