CRA Newswire

Joint Release: Agencies Amend CRA Regulations to Conform to HMDA Regulation Changes and Remove References to the Neighborhood Stabilization Program

The federal bank regulatory agencies have amended their respective Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations primarily to conform to changes made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to Regulation C, which implements the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). Since 1995, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and…

CFPB: Identification of Language Preference on the Uniform Residential Loan Application

The Bureau issued an official approval of the final redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), which will include a question about mortgage applicants’ language preference starting as early as July 2019. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)  directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to add this question to the URLA, which is a form that…

CFPB: VA Refinancing Offers that Sound Too Good to Be True

By Patrick Campbell and Anthony Vail – NOV 20, 2017 Situation The CFPB and VA are issuing their first WARNO, “Warning Order,” to servicemembers and veterans with VA home loans. If you have a VA home loan, then there is a good chance that you have already come into contact with unsolicited offers to refinance…

Joint Release: Agencies Announce Threshold for Smaller Loan Exemption from Appraisal Requirements for Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced that the threshold for exempting loans from special appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgage loans during 2018 will increase from $25,500 to $26,000. The threshold amount will be effective January 1,…

FEMA: Resources for Smart Rebuilding After Hurricane Irma

If your property was damaged by Hurricane Irma, there are resources available to help you build back stronger and safer to prevent damage from future disasters. Start repairs to make your home safe and livable again as soon as possible. Get a building permit from your local building department before beginning structural work. As you…

ABA: National Judges Set to Select 2017-2018 Lights, Camera, Save! Winners

Teen Video Contest Accepting Entries through Dec. 1 ​WASHINGTON – The American Bankers Association Foundation has announced its Lights, Camera, Save! national judging panel, along with the list of 157 participating banks, who will hold 173 contests in 45 states through Dec. 1. Contest winners will be announced during America Saves Week 2018. The Lights,…

HUD: $5 Billion Provided to Help Texas Recover from Hurricane Harvey

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $5.024 billion to help hard-hit areas in the State of Texas to recover from Hurricane Harvey. The grant announced today by the Trump Administration is provided through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program and will support the repair of damaged homes,…

Census Bureau: More Children Live With Just Their Fathers Than a Decade Ago

The percentage of children living with one parent who live with just their father saw an increase from 12.5 percent in 2007 to 16.1 percent in 2017. That’s according to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 America’s Families and Living Arrangements table package. “A higher percentage of children living with one parent live…

FHFA: Total Refinance Volume Ticks Up Slightly in Third Quarter 2017

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today reported that more than 362,934 refinances were completed in the third quarter of 2017, compared with 356,707 in the second quarter.  FHFA’s third quarter Refinance Report also shows that more than 6,913 loans were refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), bringing the total number of HARP…

FHFA: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Will Re-enter the LIHTC Market

Equity Investments Will Support Underserved Markets The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will be allowed limited re-entry into the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) market as equity investors, effective immediately.  The LIHTC, established in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, is the primary government program…