Bill Sweeps More Loans Into High-Cost Bucket

Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee have drafted a predatory-lending bill that would sweep more loans into the "high-cost" category and make it very difficult for lenders to provide traditional subprime loans to borrowers facing "life events" such as bankruptcy, job loss, or foreclosure.The draft bill would lower the points-and-fees trigger of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act to 5% and include yield-spread premiums in the calculation. It also appears that financing points and fees would be prohibited. If so, it would make it impossible for lenders to help most borrowers facing significant problems, according to attorney Wright Andrews. "Hopefully, this is an issue the committee will address and allow such loans to continue to be made, subject to appropriate safeguards," he said. Mr. Andrews is with the law firm of Butera & Andrews.