Politics

The chair of the House Financial Services Committee endorsed acting Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Sandra Thompson as rumors abound that the administration is considering someone else for the job.

Speculation has mounted that Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, is under consideration to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency. His nomination would be an endorsement of proposals to treat Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a similar way as publicly regulated power or water companies.

If confirmed, Alanna McCargo would be the first Senate-approved president at Ginnie Mae since January 2017.

The pandemic, a refinancing boom and intensified appraiser shortage boosted appraisal alternatives in line with the rise in remote work. Now an overheating purchase market and policymaker scrutiny are shifting priorities.

Both government-sponsored enterprises approve more borrowers across the board than the broader market but the relative progress each has made differs across racial groups, numbers released Wednesday show.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency made good on a promise to rescind Community Reinvestment Act reforms finalized by ex-Comptroller Joseph Otting as part of talks with other regulators on an interagency overhaul of the law.

The government-sponsored enterprises and their regulator are building on broader efforts by the Biden administration to close racial gaps in homeownership rates.

Some progressive lawmakers argue the Federal Reserve’s deregulatory moves under Jerome Powell should disqualify him for a second term as chair. But the Biden administration could let him keep his job because of monetary policies that helped low-income workers.

Almost $35 million of the total is earmarked for compliance efforts at 93 organizations.

By some current measures, nonbank capitalization looks strong compared to banks, but the way a Ginnie Mae proposal aims to assess the value of mortgage servicing rights would change that, Moody’s Investors Service reported Tuesday.

Community banks have played and will continue to play a key role in supporting local economies across the country. Join us in a lively conversation with Dennis E. Nixon, President & CEO of International Bank of Commerce (Laredo, Texas) & Chairman, International Bancshares Corporation and Eddie Aldrete, Senior Vice President at International Bank of Commerce as we discuss: (1) the need for bankers and the business community to become involved in political issues. From minimum wage and issues that affect small businesses to regulatory issues that directly affect the banking industry, banking and business leaders need to be thought leaders in the public conversation and (2) how bankers can play a pivotal advocacy role in the free trade process.

Rep. Val Demings introduced legislation in Congress that automatically triggers a stop on evictions and foreclosures for homeowners with federally-backed mortgages when a disaster is declared.

The home purchase target for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would set a new 10% benchmark for qualified single-family lending in census tracts that meet certain demographic and income targets.

The move adds to signs that the broader restart of foreclosures won’t get fully underway until 2022.

A hike in guarantee fees charged to lenders for the companies’ backing of loans was due to expire this year, but lawmakers now want to extend it to raise $21 billion for the bipartisan package.

According to the latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)’s “How America Banks” report, there is an estimated 7.1 million unbanked households in 2019. Given the record levels of unemployment, the pandemic has brought on the FDIC expects this number to rise. Join Joe Adler, American Banker’s Washington Bureau Chief and Leonard Chanin, Deputy to the Chairman of the FDIC as they discuss the FDIC’s stance on financial inclusion and how banks can get millions of unbanked Americans into the traditional banking system.

If passed, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act introduced last week could spur development of 2 million rental units for low- and moderate-income households over the next decade, writes the president of Enterprise Housing Credit Investments

Municipal bonds have a direct effect on the social and cultural character of cities, metropolitan areas, counties, and states. Munis and the initiatives they support such as public education, housing subsidies, public transit systems, and more, can often be linked to local or regional politics. Join Lynne Funk, Executive Editor at The Bond Buyer and Destin Jenkins, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of History at the University of Chicago as they explore how municipal bond mismanagement can have contrasting influences on the different ethnic groups in our cities.

Credit scores have an effect on almost every aspect of a person's financial life. A less-than-ideal credit score can make it much harder to get a house or car loan, start a business, or even get a job. President Biden plans to change credit reporting So what does the new administration's plan mean for consumers and lenders? In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of the Biden proposal, what it means for consumers, and how it will impact lending institutions' strategy and operations.

Both in terms of interest expense and the sheer cost of dealing with consumers, the mortgage industry is out hundreds of millions of dollars due to this unfunded mandate from Congress, analyst Chris Whalen says.