A recent study, Government Litigation Risk and the Decline in Low-Income Mortgage Lending, provides further evidence that the law of unintended consequences reigns supreme, particularly in the realm of public policy. The...more
As previously reported, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in connection with single-family residential mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and Fannie Mae and Freddie...more
To keep you informed of recent activities, below are several of the most significant federal and state events that have influenced the Consumer Financial Services industry over the past week...more
CFPB Director Rohit Chopra has released a statement about the proposal issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal Housing Finance Agency to address...more
In an effort to help struggling borrowers stay in their homes, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (“HUD” or “Department”) Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) recently introduced its newest loss mitigation...more
Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) approved lenders and mortgagees will no longer be required to register their branch offices. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) published a final rule (the “Final...more
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced a Payment Supplement loss mitigation program for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured Title 2 mortgage loans, the details of which are set...more
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently proposed enhancements to its 203(k) rehabilitation mortgage loan program. The proposed enhancements are set forth in a draft Mortgagee Letter. FHA will accept feedback on the...more
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced in Mortgagee Letter 2023.13 that lenders must use the Supplemental Consumer Information Form (SCIF) of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in connection...more
Borrowers who go through the process of obtaining an FHA-insured multifamily loan generally come to the same conclusion: the juice is worth the squeeze. At the end of the day, they get to enjoy a unique blend of benefits (35...more
On March 8, HUD published a final rule in the Federal Register to allow mortgagees to increase the maximum term of a loan modification from 360 to 480 months for FHA-insured mortgages after a borrower defaults. ...more
On March 1, FHA published FHA INFO 2023-14 announcing a proposed rule to eliminate a requirement that mortgagees and lenders register all branch offices conducting FHA business with HUD. Currently, all FHA-approved mortgagees...more
On February 22, FHA announced a 30 basis point reduction in the annual premium charged to mortgage borrowers, resulting in mortgage insurance premiums of 0.55 percent for most borrowers seeking FHA-insured mortgages (down...more
On February 14, FHA issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input on ways the agency can enhance its Single Family 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program. ...more
Recently, FHA published a draft mortgagee letter (ML) proposing policy changes to its requirements for processing and documenting reconsideration of valuation (ROV) requests, specifically when requests are initiated by a...more
In Mortgagee Letter 2020-20 dated June 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the extension of FHA temporary guidance regarding employment verification and appraisals due to COVID-19. The...more
On October 28, 2019 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announcing their joint approach to False Claims Act (FCA)...more
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently issued Mortgagee Letter 2019-14 to announce updates to loss mitigation options for borrowers with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loans if the...more
We have reported on the attempt by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to impose new documentation requirements for down payment assistance provided by government entities to be used in connection with...more
In Mortgagee Letter 2019-11, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it is reducing the maximum loan-to-value ratio and combined maximum loan-to-value ratio on cash-out refinance mortgages...more
The CFPB recently issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) requesting comments on how to revise the qualified mortgage (QM) provisions of the Regulation Z ability to repay rule in view of the impending...more
As previously reported, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued Mortgagee Letter 2019-06 in April of 2019 to impose new documentation requirements for down payment assistance provided by government...more