Mortgage industry stakeholders speculate about who Trump will nominate to oversee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and determine whether they remain in conservatorship or are re-privatized.
The FHLBank is extending the terms and reducing the haircut on collateral pledged by non-depository CDFIs and state-chartered HFAs (which technically aren’t even members).
A new advisory bulletin streamlines the application process for an affordable housing subsidy and makes the rules more compatible with those of other affordable housing funders.
The Council of Federal Home Loan Banks said Treasury’s proposal that the FHLBanks use their excess retained earnings to support affordable housing is asking them to operate on minimum capital levels.
Newly published comment letters show that housing and community advocacy groups support FHFA’s plan to use member incentive programs to encourage more mission-oriented lending by the FHLBanks.
Although a Republican victory in November might revive efforts to release the GSEs from conservatorship, this would likely be a multi-year effort, according to the former FHFA director.
Experts recommend industry stakeholders start working with the new credit scores if they want to be prepared when the transition from FICO Classic to FICO 10 T and VantageScore 4.0 goes into effect.
Senate Democrats note that FHLBank Boston CEO Timothy Barrett received $3.1 million in compensation last year while the bank contributed just $2 million to its affordable housing program.
Housing finance aficionados may doubt Fannie and Freddie will ever exit conservatorship, but that doesn’t stop them from telling you what that exit would look like.
The Federal Home Loan Banks as well as credit unions argue the FHLBanks’ mission was established by Congress, so only Congress can change it. Consumer advocates, meanwhile, are happy with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s effort to redefine the mission.