AGP Executive Report

Data Centers & Power Costs: Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge adds governors, lawmakers, utilities and tech firms, aiming to keep grid and infrastructure upgrades from landing on consumers as data-center demand strains electricity supply. Grid Reliability: PJM says it may curtail power to data centers and other large users during shortages starting in 2027, pushing some operators toward on-site generation. Local Housing & Affordability: Long Island’s Central Islip opens a lottery for 80 income-based units at One Carleton Green, while Queens co-op/condo owners press for J-51 tax relief amid LL97 climate mandates. Construction & Infrastructure: MoDOT advances a new Route 265 bridge project in Missouri and schedules multiple road closures/repairs across states. Real Estate Investment: Foreign buyers sharply cut U.S. existing-home purchases, and Clarion Partners buys a 94-unit senior living property in California. Community Resilience: Western North Carolina gets $34.2M in federal grants after Helene, and Sanibel’s FISH selects a design firm for a HUD-funded Resiliency Hub.

Housing & Permitting: Boone’s planning commission recommended denying a 185-unit student housing project, setting up a fight at the town council. Construction Oversight: NYC issued a stop-work order for the 222 Broadway office-to-apartment conversion after cracked beams weren’t properly filed. Infrastructure Funding: Bossier Parish won a $25M federal BUILD grant for an east-west corridor extending Winfield Road, aiming to improve safety and connectivity. Homelessness Pressure: Grace Shelter in Morgantown is consistently full, turning away 5-plus people daily (10-plus in extreme weather). AI Data Centers & Power: Florida Rep. Byron Donalds pushed a bill requiring hyperscale AI data centers to supply their own power and water to protect ratepayers. Energy & Growth: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opened, with leaders touting logistics and development gains for northwest Ohio. Legal/Environment: A lawsuit says the federal government hasn’t designated Queen Conch critical habitat, risking damage near Port Everglades. Tech Finance: Nvidia is reportedly in talks on a massive $250B guarantee for OpenAI’s Ohio data-center lease, raising concerns about circular financing.

Data Centers vs. Permits: DOJ is trying to shut down an NAACP lawsuit over alleged Clean Air Act permit gaps tied to gas turbines powering an xAI data center, arguing the case could threaten U.S. energy and national security. Local Public Safety Funding: Cities say they’re being forced to sign ICE cooperation promises or lose federal money, putting police and health services for survivors at risk. Florida Insurance: Tort reform has cut lawsuit volume, but homeowners still face the nation’s highest premiums. Michigan Data-Center Scrutiny: A U-M student warns that cloud-driven growth is real, but regulation and uneven local impacts matter. AI Infrastructure Spending: Nvidia and OpenAI reportedly discuss a massive Ohio data-center plan that could reach $500B+ and reshape power demand. Housing & Affordability: Opinion and surveys keep pointing to a widening affordability gap and the risk that fast building creates future maintenance and retrofit burdens. Transportation & Growth: ARDOT seeks feedback on an I-49 interchange upgrade in Springdale, while the Gordie Howe bridge finally opens after years of cross-border tension. Food Access Grants: Maryland awards nearly $4M via NourishMD to expand fresh-food options in food deserts. Commercial Real Estate Tech: QTREN launches an AI platform to unify lease escalations, CAM reconciliation, insurance compliance, and forecasting.

Housing Policy & Local Planning: Charlottesville’s new tenant protections take effect July 1, extending eviction grace periods and changing how tenants handle rent during court when conditions are life- or health-threatening. Affordable Housing Model: A “rent-to-own” push is gaining attention as a way to convert slow-selling condos into more affordable housing options. Mortgage Costs: Private mortgage insurance (PMI) remains a key add-on for borrowers putting under 20% down, with cancellation rules tied to loan balance and loan age. Construction Costs: AGC reports construction input prices still elevated year over year, with diesel and key metals driving much of the pressure. Data Centers & Real Estate: Nvidia is reportedly exploring massive financing for an AI data center campus in Ohio, underscoring how tech demand is reshaping land and development priorities. Environmental Risk & Redlining: A Nature Communications study links historically redlined neighborhoods to higher exposure to extreme flood outcomes, even when overall flood patterns look similar. Permitting Fight: Amazon’s Eugene, Oregon wetland permit is under appeal as residents argue the state didn’t meet required public need and safety tests, even as site work begins.

Housing Heat Reality Check: Florida still has about 43,000 homes without sufficient air conditioning, with gaps concentrated in older, urban-core neighborhoods where central cooling is less common. Rental Fraud Watch: A Milwaukee woman allegedly scammed four families out of nearly $8,000 by posing as a landlord on Zillow, pushing cash payments and then disappearing. Local Housing Support: Fairbanks held “Project Summer Connect” to connect people facing housing instability with services like food assistance, health care, and emergency supplies. Construction & Traffic: Vermont’s latest weekly highway plan flags paving and ramp closures on I-89 and I-91, with overnight detours in some areas. Energy + Grid for Real Estate: Offshore wind helped New England cut reliance on oil peaker plants during major heat waves, a reminder that power reliability matters for homes and buildings. AI Data Centers Pressure: New Nvidia funding for a South Korea AI data center expansion underscores how fast compute demand is growing—and why communities are increasingly pushing back on power and water strain. Middle-Income Affordability: Colorado Springs shows a “moderate shortage” of homes for middle-income buyers, even as overall inventory improves.

Immigration & Housing Impact: A vigil in downtown Atlanta urged due process for immigrants after ICE-related deaths and family separations, while South Florida Haitians brace for a TPS deadline that could upend work and housing stability. Policy & Costs: Lawmakers are pushing back on “surveillance pricing” tied to electronic shelf labels, and a New Jersey law aims to curb price changes based on shopper data. Construction & Infrastructure: Vermont and Michigan both face major road and ramp closures, including long Lansing-area freeway work that will snarl commutes. Real Estate & Development: San Francisco’s waterfront housing fight heats up as a state lawmaker tells NIMBYs to “build BIG” over a large Marina District redevelopment. Transit & Renaming: Penn Station’s redesign could come with a federal push to rename the historic hub after Trump. Energy & Grid Pressure: AI data-center demand is driving up power-plant and grid buildout costs, adding pressure to timelines and budgets. Flood Risk & Relocation: New maps track how buyouts and disaster recovery are reshaping where Americans live after flooding.

Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac says the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.58%, the highest in nearly 12 months, pushing up monthly costs for homebuyers. Housing Affordability: A report highlights young, middle-income buyers getting squeezed as home costs rise faster than incomes, while another piece argues houses may no longer be the best “money” move versus stocks. Data Centers & Power: Trump is rallying governors and utilities around a pledge meant to limit consumer utility bill hikes from AI data centers, but critics question whether savings will actually reach households. Local Real Estate & Federal Property: Bozeman’s historic downtown federal building that includes the post office is headed to the market, with city officials weighing options to preserve it. Construction & Traffic: Vermont and other areas publish weekly roadwork plans, including interstate paving and ramp closures, plus a Beaver Dam water main project that will close a lane on County Road G. Policy Watch: A new federal housing law aims to reward cities that build and penalize those that don’t. Community & Safety: Mason County committees will consider a Sheriff’s Office mobile app and changes to the county’s online property database.

Housing Data: HUD and the Census Bureau reported June 2026 new home sales at a 628,000 annual rate, up from May but still below a year ago, with median prices slipping to $398,300. Commercial Real Estate: Downtown Denver’s office vacancy fell to 38.6% in Q2 as leasing improved and no new office supply hit the market, signaling a possible inflection point. Construction Outlook: The AIA’s forecast calls 2026 nonresidential construction spending down 0.3%, describing a “K-shaped” market where public funding, healthcare, and AI-related projects hold up better than interest-rate-sensitive sectors. Mortgage Costs: Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.58%, the highest in nearly a year, keeping affordability pressure on buyers. Local Land & Water: Tuolumne County’s long-sought New Melones water contract draft opened for public comment, aiming to secure up to 6,000 acre-feet annually. Policy & Enforcement: A U.S. immigration officer’s credibility was rejected in a Maine court case tied to a fatal shooting, while lawmakers pressed for stronger ICE accountability. Infrastructure Disruptions: Vermont posted its weekly highway/interstate construction schedule, with multiple paving and ramp closures affecting drivers. Data Center Backlash: A Loudoun County report highlights how data center tax revenue reshapes local relationships—and growing concerns about impacts on air and water. Fraud & Housing Programs: Four Minnesota men pleaded guilty to a $2.2M Medicaid housing program fraud scheme using AI-fabricated records.

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.