Residential Real Estate › Administrative Law

Massachusetts Smart Growth Zoning Reform Bill On Fast Track to Passage?

58 Legislators Pushing Comprehensive Zoning Reform Bill “Inclusionary Zoning” Provision May Expand Controversial 40B Law With “Smart Growth” advocates strongly behind them, a cadre of Beacon Hill lawmakers are pushing a...more

FinCEN: Accountant and Elder Abuse

We have been keeping track of FinCEN's SAR Activity Review – Trends, Tips & Issues virtually from its inception. In its just issued May 2013 report, FinCEN provides new information regarding two areas of importance: 1)...more

GSEs: Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgages

Yesterday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that it is directing Fannie Mae ("Fannie") and Freddie Mac ("Freddie") to limit their future mortgage acquisitions to loans that meet the requirements for a...more

FHA: Mortgagee Review Board - Administrative Actions

Periodically, we review with you the types of administrative actions taken by HUD's Mortgagee Review Board (MRB). The review of the MRB's published administrative actions should be considered a teaching moment for all FHA...more

Warrantless Inspections are Not Warranted under the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act

The New Jersey Supreme Court recently held that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) may not conduct a warrantless administrative inspection of a residential property subject to a Freshwater Wetlands...more

Waiting for the CFPB

My sources tell me that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will soon announce substantial monetary penalties and other administrative actions against a large nonbank. I guess it is inevitable that when such an...more

Judge Invalidates California Regulation on Estimating Replacement Costs for Homeowners Insurance

On March 25, 2013, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon issued a decision which found the California Department of Insurance’s regulation on estimating replacement costs for homeowners insurance to be invalid. The...more

InfoBytes Special Alert: Detailed Analysis Of CFPB's Final Escrow Rule

On January 10, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued its final rule on escrow account requirements for first-lien higher-priced mortgage loans. The rule amends existing escrow requirements and exemptions for...more

InfoBytes Special Alert: HUD Issues Final Disparate Impact Rule

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a final rule authorizing so-called "disparate impact" or "effects test" claims under the Fair Housing Act. The rule provides support for private or...more

California County Drops Consideration Of Eminent Domain Proposal

On January 24, a Joint Powers Authority established by San Bernardino County decided not to pursue a proposal under which the County would use eminent domain power to seize underwater mortgages from private trusts and provide...more

More Reports on San Bernardino's Decision to Abandon Underwater Mortgage Eminent Domain Plan

Given how much publicity the proposal to condemn underwater mortgages received when it first appeared last summer, I suppose it's not surprising that San Bernardino's decision last week not to move forward has also garnered a...more

Hoku Lele, LLC v. City and County of Honolulu

Opinion of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals

The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, in a unanimous panel opinion authored by Judge Foley, held that a "zoning verification" by the Director of the City and County's Department of Planning and Permitting is not a "action...more

San Bernardino Not Moving Forward with Proposed Plan to Condemn Underwater Mortgages

For the better part of a year, we've been writing about the controversial proposal to use the power of eminent domain to condemn underwater mortgages, allowing homeowners to have a new loan that better reflects the underlying...more

HUD Grants Temporary Administrative Flexibilities to Housing Authorities

HUD has granted temporary flexibilities for the public housing and housing choice voucher (HCV) programs administered by public housing authorities (PHAs). Intended to lessen administrative burdens in light of reduced federal...more

CFPB's Gang of Seven (Final Rules)

This has been a busy month for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Since the advent of the New Year, the CFPB has issued seven Final Rules that impact residential mortgage loan originations. The finale was...more

CFPB Issues Final Rules Amending Regulation X and Regulation Z

Today, the CFPB issued final rules amending Regulation X (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”)) and Regulation Z (Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”)). The amendments focus on mortgage servicing requirements and servicer...more

CFPB Issues Final Mortgage Servicing Rules

The CFPB today issued its final rules implementing provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act that relate to mortgage servicing, which will take effect on January 10, 2014....more

Financial Services Bulletin: Action At The CFPB

On Thursday, January 10, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") issued a final rule amending Regulation Z pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act"). ...more

Governmental Actions That May Assist Insurance Recovery for Superstorm Sandy Claims [UPDATED]

Following the widespread destruction caused by “Superstorm Sandy,” the governors of New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency and issued numerous emergency executive orders and directives. Some of these orders have...more

Is the Fed's Settlement with Mortgage Servicers Good for the Market?

On January 7, 2013, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the U.S. Federal Reserve Board announced an $8.5 Billion settlement with 10 of the nation's top residential loan servicers ending independent...more

Fannie Mae Clarifies Foreclosure Sheriff’s Costs Reimbursement Process

On January 9, Fannie Mae issued a Servicing Notice regarding claims for reimbursement of foreclosure sheriff’s costs. Noting that some states require that the sheriff’s office perform some or all of the tasks associated with...more

Proposed “Homeless Person’s Bill Of Rights And Fairness Act” Will Have Huge Impact On Government And Business

California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code Section 51, generally provides that all persons within California are free and equal, regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability,...more

Massachusetts Division Of Banks Proposes Foreclosure Regulation Amendments

On January 7, the Massachusetts Division of Banks announced a public hearing to review proposed amendments to the state’s foreclosure and mortgage modification regulations. The proposed amendments would implement a recently...more

Infobytes - A Weekly In-depth review of news & developments in the financial services industry - January 11, 2013

In This Issue: - FEDERAL ISSUES - STATE ISSUES - COURTS - MISCELLANY - FIRM NEWS - FIRM PUBLICATIONS - MORTGAGES - BANKING - CONSUMER FINANCE - SECURITIES - PRIVACY/DATA SECURITY - Excerpt from...more

D.C. Circuit Reinstates Challenge To HUD Reverse Mortgage Regulations

On January 4, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia held that two widowed spouses have standing to pursue allegations that a HUD regulation defining conditions under which it would insure a reverse mortgage...more