The Federal Housing Finance Agency's latest performance review plan emphasizes interest in having more power to review Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's business partners.
"Currently, US Federal Housing does not have statutory authority to oversee third-party service providers. These third-party relationships can potentially pose risks," the agency — which Director Bill Pulte alternately refers to by that name — wrote in its latest performance plan.
The conservatorship agency for the two government-sponsored enterprises that buy many home loans in the United States has long had authority to review mortgage companies, banks and other entities that work with the enterprises — authority established
Other notable FHFA ambitions stated in the performance plan for fiscal years 2026-2027 and a strategic report on more long-term goals through FY 2030 include:
- A goal to review the platform the enterprises operate as a joint venture to facilitate uniform trading of the enterprises' mortgage-backed securities. Pulte rebranded this as
US Financial Technology last year and indicated interest in returning to an old concept in which it would be repositioned for external use.
- Plans to beef up cybersecurity with simulated phishing attacks and other measures. This appears to be growing in importance as one element of
a recent Trump executive order calls upon the FHFA to standardize acceptance of digital mortgage processing.
- A promise to ensure GSE involvement in low-income housing tax credit investments in both plans. LIHTCs previously were
under pressure in President Trump's first term due to lower corporate taxes that decreased demand for the credits, but policymakers have more recently aimed to revive them throughmore recent legislation andadministrative actions.
