Law and regulation

From Secretary Carson easing lending concerns to Fannie Mae announcing its expansion of Day 1 Certainty, here's a look at seven things we learned at the 2017 MBA Annual.

The CFPB's practice of "regulation by enforcement" forces mortgage companies to develop compliance standards based on the mistakes of their peers, rather than clear guidance from the enforcement agency, said David Motley, the new chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

From debating the future compliance landscape to developing a digital mortgage strategy, here's a preview of the top issues, ideas and themes on tap when the industry convenes in Denver for the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo.

While the House disaster relief bill would provide $16 billion in debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program, it does not include a Trump administration proposal to ban new construction in flood-prone areas.

While lawmakers appear eager to help develop private flood insurance as an alternative to the federal program, some are worried that private policies won't help support flood mapping and the enforcement of flood codes.

A federal judge awarded treble damages totaling $296 million in a False Claims Act case alleging Texas lender Allied Home Mortgage defrauded the Federal Housing Administration mortgage program.

The bill would create a federal obligation for credit reporting agencies to offer free credit freezes and prevent them from selling consumer information while a freeze is in place.

The changes are aimed at aligning requirements with a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.

The changes to the National Multistate Licensing System will include a more customized user experience for companies and functionality for states to share examination data.

The largest generation of Americans is set to inherit over $59 trillion in assets, but the federal financial regulators are behind in hiring millennials and focusing on issues of concern to them.

Contributing to the high losses is the fact that Texas, despite being one of the states most vulnerable to storms, has one of the most relaxed approaches to building codes, inspections and other protections.

California's high housing costs are driving poor and middle income people out of their housing like never before. While some are fleeing coastal areas for cheaper living inland, others are leaving the state altogether.

A new state law meant to combat the blight of "zombie" homes across New York lacks effective enforcement to hold banks accountable for actually maintaining the properties on Staten Island.

Twenty years ago, Texas became the last state in the union to legalize the home equity loan, allowing people for the first time to use their own homes as collateral.

Florida wades deeper into hurricane season as the debate heightens over what to do with the deeply indebted National Flood Insurance Program and its coverage of properties prone to repeated flooding.

Mayor Byron W. Brown is overhauling the board that oversees Buffalo's public housing for 10,000 residents, an initial step toward tackling ongoing problems at the agency.

The marketplace lender's application for an industrial bank charter is under fire from small banks and progressives, who say it could violate the barrier between banking and commerce and shut out middle-class and lower-income consumers.

California Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders announced that the state's housing crisis will be at the top of their agenda when lawmakers return in August from a month-long break.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling continued the drumbeat of Republican attacks on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray.

Supporters maintain hope that the Federal Housing Administration will revive a proposed premium cut, but a key obstacle remains: There's no one to run the agency.