Affordable housing

The comment period for the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing interim final rule has been extended, but consumer advocates are clear in their opposition.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta exceeded its funding commitment by nearly $1 million, while its Dallas counterpart gave out $2 million in 2024.

The cost-cutting task force could impact the congressionally chartered nonprofit which provides grants and lending for both homeowners and renters.

A bill being introduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., would compel the Federal Home Loan Bank System to contribute 30%, or a minimum of $200 million, of each bank's net earnings into affordable housing or other community development programs.

The government conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac wasn't meant to last forever, but releasing the companies is complicated and should involve a diffident Congress, housing policy experts said during a Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta housing panel.

FHFA director Pulte called these programs inappropriate for regulated entities, which are in government conservatorship, but said others are still able to offer them.

Multifamily debt held by all capital sources continues to grow at a faster pace than the overall commercial market, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, first introduced during the Obama administration and brought back by Biden, was unworkable, opponents said.

With proposed tariffs on homebuilding materials working looming and a cloudy forecast for mortgage rates, young homebuyers are facing increased volatility.

The government-sponsored enterprises were not meant to remain in conservatorship permanently, but privatizing them once again must include a new set of rules that minimize market disruptions and maximize their focus on making homeownership affordable.