The CFPB nowadays is less active in addressing fair lending concerns via enforcement actions, particularly in cases relating to disparate impact. The bureau did not initiate or complete a single fair lending enforcement action from October 2018 to March 2019.
Five industry groups have asked the CFPB to eliminate certain data points from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act requirements. On the other hand, the NAHB is seeking reporting of more data fields.
CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger was grilled by Democratic lawmakers regarding enforcement actions during hearings on Capitol Hill. Other topics such as fair lending, innovation policies and qualified-mortgage patch were also on the agenda.
The CFPB’s review of a fintech company’s lending practice shows that using alternative data could expand credit access and at the same time allow lenders to remain compliant with fair lending laws.
Democratic lawmakers have called for the removal of Eric Blankenstein, currently a HUD official, after it was found that he likely abused his authority at the CFPB in dealing with a controversy tied to his racially-charged writings of the past.
First Merchants Bank has reached a settlement with the Justice Department to resolve allegations of discriminatory lending by redlining predominantly African-American neighborhoods.
The CFPB is still actively conducting fair lending exams, said compliance experts, but it remains a question mark whether the exams will turn to enforcement actions.