Scott Olson
Executive DirectorScott Olson is executive director of the Community Home Lenders of America.
Scott Olson is executive director of the Community Home Lenders of America.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created in part to ensure that nonbanks are subject to federal oversight, but the fact is that 99% of banks are exempt from CFPB supervision.
Congressional action to reform housing finance is ultimately needed, but we must confront the risk of continued drift and inaction if Congress is unable to act.
The president-elect faces major questions about credit access, affordable housing, the future of Dodd-Frank and the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the extent to which he will act upon them remains unclear.
Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.
Recent legislative proposals to make piecemeal changes to the government-sponsored enterprises could set broader GSE reform on the wrong path.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should provide independent mortgage lenders with clear guidance on how to comply with rules and confirm that good-faith compliance with the bureau's directives will not result in enforcement actions and financial penalties
Some argue that nonbank mortgage lenders' rising market share poses a risk to the financial system. But this belief arises from an inaccurate understanding of what is in fact a well-regulated sector.