Mortgage Protection Program Extended.

C.A.R.'s Housing Affordability Fund Mortgage Protection Program has been extended through December 31, 2010 or until funds are exhausted. Under the program, first time home buyers who lost their job due to lay-offs may be eligible to recieve up to $1500 a month, for up to 6 months, to help make their mortgage payments. An addition, a qualified co-buyer can recieve up to $750 a month for up to 6 months.

For additional information go to: http://www.car.org/newsstand/newsreleases/mppupdate/

Could medical marijuana be the next big business….Oakland seems to think so.

Don’t know much about growing pot? Need a medical marijuana card but don’t know how to obtain one? Need growing equipment? Oakland is opening the largest one-stop shop marijuana cultivation center in a warehouse near the Oakland airport igrow will only sell supplies for the marijuana cultivation and not seedlings. In fact, there are only for dispensaries in Oakland who are able to sell seedlings. Currently, igrow has over 1500 followers on twitter.

Last year by a landslide vote, Oakland became the first city to tax proceeds on medical marijuana. The measure that was passed imposes a 1.8 percent gross receipts tax on the four licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in Oakland. These facilities would have to pay about $18 in taxes for every 1,000 in marijuana sales which will help with the city’s deficit problem.

To read more about igrow go to:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/28/BA4T1BOGCV.DTL