Kate Berry

Kate Berry has covered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for American Banker since 2016. She joined the publication in 2006 covering mortgage lending and the financial crisis. Berry also has covered big banks including Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo. She has won five awards from the Society of American Business Writers and Editors, and has worked at several news organizations including the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Associated Press. Berry began her career as a clerk at the New York Times.

Nonbank

Are nonbanks likelier to lend to Black, Latino homebuyers?

A new report from California shows that less-regulated mortgage lenders may be doing a better than banks of serving Black and Latino homebuyers. But consumer advocates say the data bolsters the case for tougher supervision of nonbanks.

By Kate Berry

November 30
Litigation

GOP readies counterpunch if Biden removes CFPB chief

The president-elect has legal backing to fire Director Kathy Kraninger thanks to a recent court ruling, but Republicans are prepared to challenge his ability to choose her successor.

By Kate Berry

November 23
CFPB

CFPB sets stage for long fight on data-sharing rule

As it attempts to craft policy on access to consumers’ financial account information, the agency is wading into a battle between those who want data to flow more freely and those who prioritize security.

By Kate Berry

November 12
Election 2020

Who would craft regulatory policy in a Biden administration?

A Democratic victory in Tuesday’s election would likely produce new leaders at the CFPB and OCC who could take bank regulation in a sharply different direction. Here are some names potentially under consideration.

By Kate Berry

November 2
CFPB

What debt collectors can and can't do under CFPB rule

The agency’s final rule modernizing the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act limits calls to seven per week, but collectors won stronger protections from liability claims and other key changes to the original proposal.

By Kate Berry

October 30
CFPB

CFPB fines Washington Federal $200,000 for HMDA errors

The agency found a 40% error rate in the 2016 data submitted by the Seattle bank. In addition to the fine, the institution is required to improve its compliance systems.

By Kate Berry

October 27
SCOTUS

Barrett could cement court’s restrictive view of debt collection cases

A 2019 decision by Amy Coney Barrett, then a 7th Circuit judge, cited an earlier Supreme Court ruling suggesting a high bar for plaintiffs to claim harm. But other jurists have favored a less onerous standard.

By Kate Berry

October 27
CFPB

CFPB developing proposal on who can access customer data

The rulemaking is expected to draw enormous interest from both banks and third-party fintech providers.

By Kate Berry

October 22
CFPB

CFPB staff shake-up seen hampering investigations

The agency’s consolidation of supervision and enforcement policy into one office could compromise the independence of those deciding when to investigate alleged wrongdoing by banks and others, critics of the move say.

By Kate Berry

October 22
CFPB

GSE exemption to stay in place until underwriting rule finished: CFPB

The agency confirmed that loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can continue avoiding debt-to-income limits as the bureau completes a revamp of the Qualified Mortgage standard.

By Kate Berry

October 20