Trump administration

The president signed an executive order Tuesday establishing a White House council dedicated to examining regulatory barriers to affordable housing.

The mortgage agency has hired Eric Blankenstein, who sparked controversy while at the consumer bureau over past revelations of racially charged writings.

In her first four and a half months, Kathy Kraninger met with lawmakers more than twice as often as her predecessor, but her schedule demonstrates willingness to meet with industry and policy stakeholders from various camps.

There are clear actions that regulators at the CFPB, SEC and FHFA can take to help attract investors into the housing market, argues former FHFA Director Ed DeMarco.

Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and another Democratic senator are asking whether Kushner Cos. "may have received special treatment" on a U.S.-government-backed loan of about $800 million.

The interpretation by HUD, conveyed in a letter to Congress by Assistant Secretary Len Wolfson, appeared to contradict the agency's earlier comments about borrowers in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The agency announced the series in April as an effort to encourage public dialogue on policy issues.

With the Trump administration appearing willing to shake up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac without Congress, Reps. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., and Sean Duffy, R-Wis., said legislative action should be a priority.

The industry continues to push for an overhaul of the bureau’s leadership structure, but both parties seem uninterested.

The FHFA director’s recent comments about whether the government-sponsored enterprises should be designated as SIFIs tees up a potentially significant element of the mortgage finance debate.