SAN JOSE-The Silicon Valley region may soon get some relief from its housing crisis with the approval of agreements to build two new housing communities in the South Bay.

SAN JOSE-Most of the cities in the Bay Area have been criticized by several reports this month for having a poor affordable housing plan. Santa Clara has responded with an action plan to address this issue.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE-South Lake Tahoe consultants are nearly finished preparing the Draft Environmental Impact Report that will determine the fate of a proposed $180-million ski resort expansion.

WASHINGTON-More than 588 businesses, including two in Washington, will benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant funds, which will create or save at least 975 jobs.

BELLEVUE-Kmart's bankruptcy could hurt the owners of the sites where stores have closed down. Many Washington leases were put up for public auction, which leaves the owners little control over their properties. However, the owner of two former stores has reached a termination agreement that may save him this headache.

SAN FRANCISCO-According to Mayor Willie Brown, the need for affordable housing is a major one, considering San Francisco's sky-high real estate prices in the past decade.

SACRAMENTO-A $2.6-million loan has been approved by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to help a developer clean up a blighted area in Sacramento, which will hopefully attract new investors.

SEATTLE-A forest products company has sold a Class A office building to private investors for $8.7 million and then leased back the building for five years.